Experimental models in the research of the early embriogenesis

Razvojna biologija u Hrvatskoj ima 50-godišnju tradiciju zahvaljujući njenom osnivaču prof. dr. Nikoli Škrebu, te velikom broju njegovih suradnika i učenika. Istraživanja su bila usmjerena na kritična razdoblja razvoja u ranoj embriogenezi sisavaca (miš, štakor). Razrađenim postupcima izolacije zametnih listića te, potom, transplantacije istih na ektopična mjesta domaćina (korioalantoisna membrana, prednja očna komora, bubrežna čahura) dobiveni su teratomi, koji su omogućili posredno proučavanje razvojnih sposobnosti nediferenciranog presatka. Postupci kulture zametaka in vitro i transplantacije in vivo pokazali su stabilnost diferencijacije. U potrazi za genima koji upravljaju embrionalnim razvojem, primijenio se postupak genske zamke, kojim se mogu otkriti novi geni s ograničenim uzorkom ekspresije.The period of continuous and internationally recognized research in developmental biology began in Croatia in the early fifties. It was initiated by Nikola Škreb and continued by his coworkers. His research was focused to the analysis of the early postimplantation rodent embryo with special attention on the crucial period of gastrulation. The next step was the analysis of growth and histological differentiation after transfer of embryos and separated germ lyers to ectopic sites (kidney capsule, anterior chamber of the eye, chorioalantois membrane). The potential of early rat embryo to grow and differentiate was shown using a method of organ culture in vitro. After establishing molecular methods and identification of genes involved in the development, the same developmental problems are investigated in a new way. One of them is the gene trap procedure, which utilises the possibility to select trapped genes active during embryogenesis