The amphibian Xenopus laevis is an established model organism for investigating vertebrate development. In contrast to commonly used amniote models, its external embryogenesis provides a unique opportunity to monitor developmental processes and their disruption or modulation by chemical, environmental or natural agents from the earliest stages.
Prior studies in this model have demonstrated that Bisphenol A (BPA) induces malformations in tadpoles and inhibits γ-secretase activity. Nevertheless, the consequences of BPA exposure during early embryogenesis on neural development remain unexplored. We hypothesize that BPA exposure interferes with the formation of neural precursors, neural plate, neural border, and embryonic midline. Additionally, BPA disrupts critical processes required for proper cephalic development.
Furthermore, naturally occurring compounds such as cannabinoids may also play a role in regulating critical developmental processes. Transcriptomic analyses in Xenopus laevis have revealed early expression of both cannabinoid receptors, with CB2 expressed at higher levels than CB1 before and during organogenesis. Both receptors peak during gastrulation and remain expressed throughout primary neurogenesis, key stages of early neural development. We hypothesize that cannabinoid signaling may contribute to the regulation of neural induction and primary neurogenesis in Xenopus.
