Abstract: Objective: To explore the relationship between neural tube development of the mouse embryos and lectin bindings of WGA, RCA and ECL. Methods: Thirty pregnant mice were randomly divided into six groups. Then biotin labeled WGA, RCA and ECL were used as probes to investigate the distribution and dynamic changes of their receptors in embryonic neural tubes by the affinity cytochemistry method and image analysis. Results: These three kinds of lectin receptors existed in the mouse embryonic neural tube at different developmental stages， but both the expression sites and the expression level of these three kinds of lectin receptors were quite different. The general tendency of expression of WGA and ECL receptors in the neural tube at different developmental stages was gradually decreased and then gradually rose. The general tendency of expression of RCA receptor in the cranial and caudal parts of embryonic neural tube at different stages rose, but that of the lectin RCA in the middle part of the neural tube at different stages decreased. The tendency of these lectin receptors, especially the WGA and RCA receptors, in the cranial and caudal parts of the murine neural tube were always higher than that in the middle part of the neural tube. Conclusion: These three kinds of lectin receptors, especially the WGA and RCA receptors, have a relation to the morphogenesis of the embryonic neural tube. Expression of three lectin receptors takes on the changes of regularity in embryonic neural tube development.

Key words: Lectin receptor, Neural tube, Development, Morphogenesis, Mice