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環境省保健・化学物質対策科学的知見の充実及び環境リスク評価の推進化学物質の内分泌かく乱作用に関するホームページ資料集・リンク >専門家向けデータベース:カエルアトラス トップ >1.About Xenopus laevis

「資料集・リンク」

資料集・リンク
専門家向けデータベース

「専門家向けデータベース」

Normal Development of Xenopus laevis

by MOE and Environmental and Life Science Laboratory(ELSL), Towakagaku, Japan

About South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis

male
male
female
female

History

Amphibians have been one of the most utilized vertebrates in studies of embryology, metamorphosis, and physiology. Especially, from 50-year before, Xenopus laevis has been well characterized with respect to their embryonic and larval development at both the cellular and molecular level. Moreover, concerning about the evaluation for environmental pollution, amphibians (including Xenopus) have been considered to be a sensitive and useful indicator, because they live both in water and on land, are vegetarians as the stage of larvae and carnivores as adults, and have permeable unprotected skin.
ハハハThese situations indicate that Xenopus laevis can be a useful tetrapod model to assess possible hazardous chemicals for the living animals.

Feature

One is its permanently aquatic life style.
Two is its remarkably robust constitution: it is especially resistant to disease and infection.
Three is its life cycle, such that a embryo can be sexually reproducing adult in 1-1.5 years.

Conclusion

Xenopus laevis is very useful as test animal, not only for basic studies for the gene function and promoter regulation, but also for practical screening and studies for endocrine disruption.