engleski

Cultivated rat embryo as a model for investigation of the role of DNA methylation in development

DNA methylation in vertebrate cells provides an important mechanism for distinguishing genes that are active from those that are not. Its importance in early development is clearly demonstrated by the finding that even a modest reduction in DNA methylation causes severe developmental abnormalities and even death of embryos during organogenesis. 9 day old rat egg cylinders cultivated with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine showed significantly improved differentiation of myotubes, cartilage and neuroblasts.

DNA methylation; rat embryo culture; development

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