rved Wnt-dependency of Foxj1 expression during LR axis development. The non-canonical Wnt/ PCP pathway was shown to be necessary for cilia polarization to the posterior pole of GRP cells, as a prerequisite for the generation of a directed laminar flow from right to left. This role of Wnt/PCP for LR axis specification was also described in mouse, arguing for evolutionary conservation of this Wnt-dependent step in LR development as well. In zebrafish the ligands Wnt3a, Wnt8 and Wnt11 were shown to be required for LR development. In Xenopus, Wnt8a is not expressed in the SM or GRP. Wnt3a expression only starts at stages when Foxj1 is already expressed in the SM. Wnt11b, in contrast, is present in the oocyte and zygotic expression persists in dorsal regions before and after the onset of gastrulation. Wnt11b can activate both canonical and non-canonical signaling branches during Xenopus development. Maternally deposited Wnt11b mRNA is enriched on the dorsal side during cleavage stages and contributes to organizer formation by activation of Wnt/b-catenin signaling. During gastrulation and later development, Wnt11b and Wnt11r regulate convergent extension, neural crest cell induction and migration as well as heart and pronephric development by activation of non-canonical Wnt signaling branches, i.e. Wnt/PCP and Wnt/calcium signaling. Wnt11b was therefore analyzed for a potential role in Wnt/b-catenin dependent Foxj1 expression and Wnt/PCP dependent cilia polarization during Xenopus LR development. Wnt11b in Xenopus Left-Right Development Results Wnt11b is Expressed in the Superficial Mesoderm As a first step to elucidate the role of Wnt11b during LR axis development we analyzed mRNA expression patterns at LR relevant sites. With the onset of gastrulation zygotic Wnt11b expression started in the dorsal region of the prospective mesoderm. Manual bisection of embryos revealed expression in the SM, but not in deeper layers of the organizer, reminiscent of Foxj1 expression. At stage 10.5 the domain expanded laterally, eventually forming a ring of expression around the blastopore by stage 11.5. In dorsal regions the expression remained restricted to the SM, while mRNA in more lateral and ventral regions was detected in deep mesodermal cells as well. By stage 13, when the blastopore is closing, Wnt11b was expressed within the circumblastoporal collar, i.e. a ring of cells which involute into the gastrocoel. These expression patterns support a possible role of Wnt11b during GRP formation and LR development. Manipulation of Wnt11b Perturbs Leftward Flow at the GRP In an attempt to systematically dissect the LR pathway in Wnt11b manipulated embryos, 
we turned to leftward flow as the next step downstream from SM specification and Foxj1 induction. Directionality and velocity of flow were analyzed in dorsal explants of Wnt11bMO and Wnt11b DNA Varlitinib price injected specimens. Robust leftward flow was 11741201 detected in uninjected control explants, while flow directionality was compromised in Wnt11b morphants as well as following Wnt11b DNA injection. To evaluate flow in groups of manipulated specimens we used the dimensionless number rho, which provides a qualitative measure. Rho was calculated from time-lapse movies and represents the mean resultant directionality of particle trails . Rho values range from 1, when all trajectories point in the same direction, 14707029 to 0, when particles move randomly. Explants from uninjected control embryos showed a mean r-value of 0.8260.12, while