Figure 3

Upregulation of HAL2 gene only in the epithelium during Xenopus laevis intestinal metamorphosis. The epithelium (Ep) and the rest of the intestine (non-Ep), which is made of mainly the connective tissue, were isolated from tadpoles at stage 56 (the onset of metamorphosis, also referred to as a premetamorphic stage), stage 61 (the climax of metamorphosis), and stage 66 (the end of metamorphosis) [27]. The total RNA from the Ep and non-Ep was used for qRT-PCR analysis of HAL2 gene expression. Note that HAL2 was exclusively expressed in the Ep at the climax of metamorphosis.