ABSTRACT
A variety of heterologous tissues have been tested for the ability to promote cartilage differentiation in isolated chick-embryo somites, using a modified chorioallantoic grafting technique. Of the 12 tissues tested only 3- and 4-day embryonic ectoderm promoted somite chondrogenesis in somites that fail to chondrify when grafted in isolation. This activity of ectoderm was evident in grafts of somites isolated with adjacent ectoderm, and in grafts of somites recombined with ectoderm derived from several sources. Four-day embryonic limbbud ectoderm, including the apical ridge, was capable of promoting somite chondrogenesis, but to no greater extent than dorsal trunk ectoderm of the same age. It is suggested that the ability of embryonic ectoderm to promote cartilage differentiation in isolated somites is associated with its ability to synthesize basement membrane material (sulphated glycosaminoglycans and collagen), in association with adjacent somite mesoderm.
