Fig. 8. bFGF-induced expression of key mesoderm genes is independent of Ral signalling. RT-PCR analysis of mRNA extracted from animal caps cultured until end of gastrulation. Embryos at the four-cell stage were injected in the animal hemisphere of each blastomere with either 4x 750 pg of XralB S28N or Raf KD RNAs. Animal caps were dissected at the midblastula stage and cultured, with bFGF (+) (100 ng/ml) or without (–) bFGF, until the siblings embryos reached the gastrulation (stage 12).