Abstract: The spatial and temporal expression of laminin α1, α3, α4 and α5-chain in the developing Xenopus laevis embryos was characterized using RT-PCR and whole-mount in situ hybridization. RT-PCR analysis shows varying developmental timings of expression of the laminin α-chain mRNA. The α1-chain mRNA was detected from stage 6 embryo and levels increase as the embryo develops to stage 41. α3 and α5-chain mRNA was found to be expressed maternally and also in the developing zygote. There was no maternal expression of the α4-chain and in the zygote, α4-chain mRNA was first detected at stage 14. Whole-mount in situ hybridization on embryos at stage 15, 25 and 33 showed that the α1, α3, α4 and α5-chain transcripts produced similar pattern of localisation. Transcripts were observed in the outer epithelia, somites, developing neural tube and pronephros.