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Gastrulation Videos

Shown above is the thickening of the blastoderm leading to the synthesis of the germ ring. Cells are migrating to the dorsal side leading to the formation of the embryonic shield (A.K.A. the Zebrafish organizer). Advancement of the marginal cells towards the vegetal pole is caused by epiboly.

During early embryogenesis, inductive signals made by the Yolk Syncytial Layer help pattern the embryo. (Definition of syncytium: a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells.) Shown above is a movie of the marginal cell membranes breaking down leading to the production of the YSL, followed by division of YSL nuclei. (In both movies, the animal pole is at the top and the vegetal pole is at the bottom.)

Videos courtesy of Dr. Ramil Noche and the MBL course on Zebrafish Development and Genetics