Role of c-myc protein in the early embryonic development of Xenopus

Microinjections of antibodies directed against the protein encoded by the c-myc protooncogene strongly inhibit or arrest the early cell cleavage stage of Xenopus laevis embryos. Injections in one blastomere of a two cell stage embryo inhibit the segmentation of this blastomere. The cleavage of the uninjected blastomere behaves normally. Injections of control rabbit immunoglobulins do not alter the embryonic development.