Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Using Crispr/Cas9 Gene Editing To Remove Twist2 To Determine Its Role During Somite Development In Zebrafish, Caleb Holdener

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Embryonic Mesoderm is a precursor to various types of tissues, such as the somatic mesoderm. Somites are a segmented tissue that gives rise to the sclerotome in vertebrates. This sclerotome further develops into the axial skeleton (Stickney, Barresi, and Devoto 2000). Somites are easily observable under low power microscopy during fish development. In fish, great strides have been made in studying the developmental fate of somites (Stoiber, Haslett, and Sänger 1999; Stickney, Barresi, and Devoto 2000). Zebrafish have been studied in many labs due to their similarities with higher vertebrates. These advantages include their inexpensive cost of care, external fertilization, …