Wnt signaling from the dorsal neural tube is required for the formation of the medial dermomyotome

Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (24) ◽  
pp. 4969-4976 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ikeya ◽  
S. Takada
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Marker Gene ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Medial Compartment ◽  
Dorsoventral Patterning ◽  
Dorsal Midline ◽  
Dorsal Neural Tube ◽  
Dorsal Portion ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Signals originating from tissues surrounding somites are involved in mediolateral and dorsoventral patterning of somites and in the differentiation of the myotome. Wnt-1 and Wnt-3a, which encode members of the Wnt family of cystein-rich secreted signaling molecules, are coexpressed at the dorsal midline of the developing neural tube, an area adjacent to the dorsomedial portion of the somite. Several lines of evidence indicate that Wnt-1 and Wnt-3a have the ability to induce the development of the medial and dorsal portion of somites, as well as to induce myogenesis. To address whether these Wnt signalings are really essential for the development of somites during normal embryogenesis, we investigated the development of somites in mouse embryos lacking both Wnt-1 and Wnt-3a. Here we demonstrate that the medial compartment of the dermomyotome is not formed and the expression of a lateral dermomyotome marker gene, Sim-1, is expanded more medially in the absence of these Wnt signalings. In addition, the expression of a myogenic gene, Myf-5, is decreased at 9.5 days post coitum whereas the level of expression of a number of myogenic genes in the later stage appeared normal. These results indicate that Wnt-1 and Wnt-3a signalings actually regulate the formation of the medial compartment of the dermomyotome and the early part of myogenesis.

scholarly journals Vital dye labelling demonstrates a sacral neural crest contribution to the enteric nervous system of chick and mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 857-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.N. Serbedzija ◽  
S. Burgan ◽  
S.E. Fraser ◽  
M. Bronner-Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Neural Crest ◽  
Enteric Nervous System ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Crest Cells ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Chick Embryos ◽  
Vital Dye ◽  
Dorsal Portion ◽  
Sacral Neural Crest

We have used the vital dye, DiI, to analyze the contribution of sacral neural crest cells to the enteric nervous system in chick and mouse embryos. In order to label premigratory sacral neural crest cells selectively, DiI was injected into the lumen of the neural tube at the level of the hindlimb. In chick embryos, DiI injections made prior to stage 19 resulted in labelled cells in the gut, which had emerged from the neural tube adjacent to somites 29–37. In mouse embryos, neural crest cells emigrated from the sacral neural tube between E9 and E9.5. In both chick and mouse embryos, DiI-labelled cells were observed in the rostral half of the somitic sclerotome, around the dorsal aorta, in the mesentery surrounding the gut, as well as within the epithelium of the gut. Mouse embryos, however, contained consistently fewer labelled cells than chick embryos. DiI-labelled cells first were observed in the rostral and dorsal portion of the gut. Paralleling the maturation of the embryo, there was a rostral-to-caudal sequence in which neural crest cells populated the gut at the sacral level. In addition, neural crest cells appeared within the gut in a dorsal-to-ventral sequence, suggesting that the cells entered the gut dorsally and moved progressively ventrally. The present results resolve a long-standing discrepancy in the literature by demonstrating that sacral neural crest cells in both the chick and mouse contribute to the enteric nervous system in the postumbilical gut.

Development of neural tube basal lamina during neurulation and neural crest cell emigration in the trunk of the mouse embryo

Development ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-236
Author(s):  
M. Martins-Green ◽  
C. A. Erickson
Keyword(s):  
Neural Crest ◽  
Basal Lamina ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Crest Cell ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Cell Region ◽  
Dorsal Portion ◽  
Lateral Portion ◽  
Crest Cell ◽  
Development Proceeds

In the trunk of higher vertebrates, the neural crest (NC) cells remain temporarily within the dorsal portion of the neural tube after fusion of the neural folds; shortly thereafter they emigrate, invading surrounding spaces and tissues. One of the factors postulated to be important in the initiation of migration of NC cells is the disruption of the basal lamina (BL) over the dorsal portion of the neural tube. It has been assumed by many that the BL must be discontinuous in order that the NC cells can leave the neural tube; and indeed, experiments performed in our laboratory, and by others, have shown that NC cells cannot penetrate an intact BL. Therefore, we have undertaken a systematic ultrastructural study to evaluate the condition of the BL during neural fold elevation and NC cell emigration. Our results show that: (i) BL surrounding the neural epithelium (NE) becomes progressively more extensive from neural fold to migratory stages. It first forms on the lateral portion of the neuroepithelium of the neural folds and then extends ventrally into the region adjacent to the notochord; (ii) BL becomes continuous beneath the epidermal ectoderm (EE) that overlies the NC cell region only during the terminal stages of NC cell emigration; (iii) BL does not form over the dorsal portion of the neural tube until NC emigration is terminated; and (iv) the morphology of the BL changes as development proceeds. We conclude that absence of a BL over the premigratory NC cell population in the trunk of mouse embryos is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for emigration to take place.

Neural tube closure in Xenopus laevis involves medial migration, directed protrusive activity, cell intercalation and convergent extension

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (20) ◽  
pp. 4547-4556 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.A. Davidson ◽  
R.E. Keller
Keyword(s):  
Confocal Microscopy ◽  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Neural Crest ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Plate ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Dorsal Midline ◽  
Cell Movements ◽  
Dorsal Neural Tube

We have characterized the cell movements and prospective cell identities as neural folds fuse during neural tube formation in Xenopus laevis. A newly developed whole-mount, two-color fluorescent RNA in situ hybridization method, visualized with confocal microscopy, shows that the dorsal neural tube gene xpax3 and the neural-crest-specific gene xslug are expressed far lateral to the medial site of neural fold fusion and that expression moves medially after fusion. To determine whether cell movements or dynamic changes in gene expression are responsible, we used low-light videomicroscopy followed by fluorescent in situ and confocal microscopy. These methods revealed that populations of prospective neural crest and dorsal neural tube cells near the lateral margin of the neural plate at the start of neurulation move to the dorsal midline using distinctive forms of motility. Before fold fusion, superficial neural cells apically contract, roll the neural plate into a trough and appear to pull the superficial epidermal cell sheet medially. After neural fold fusion, lateral deep neural cells move medially by radially intercalating between other neural cells using two types of motility. The neural crest cells migrate as individual cells toward the dorsal midline using medially directed monopolar protrusions. These movements combine the two lateral populations of neural crest into a single medial population that form the roof of the neural tube. The remaining cells of the dorsal neural tube extend protrusions both medially and laterally bringing about radial intercalation of deep and superficial cells to form a single-cell-layered, pseudostratified neural tube. While ours is the first description of medially directed cell migration during neural fold fusion and re-establishment of the neural tube, these complex cell behaviors may be involved during cavitation of the zebrafish neural keel and secondary neurulation in the posterior axis of chicken and mouse.

BMP-7 influences pattern and growth of the developing hindbrain of mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Arkell ◽  
R.S. Beddington
Keyword(s):  
Sonic Hedgehog ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Chick Embryos ◽  
Dorsoventral Patterning ◽  
Surface Ectoderm ◽  
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ◽  
Cos Cells ◽  
Morphogenetic Protein ◽  
Timing Mechanisms

The expression pattern of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) in the hindbrain region of the headfold and early somite stage developing mouse embryo suggests a role for BMP-7 in the patterning of this part of the cranial CNS. In chick embryos it is thought that BMP-7 is one of the secreted molecules which mediates the dorsalizing influence of surface ectoderm on the neural tube, and mouse surface ectoderm has been shown to have a similar dorsalizing effect. While we confirm that BMP-7 is expressed in the surface ectoderm of mouse embryos at the appropriate time to dorsalize the neural tube, we also show that at early stages of hindbrain development BMP-7 transcripts are present in paraxial and ventral tissues, within and surrounding the hindbrain neurectoderm, and only later does expression become restricted to a dorsal domain. To determine more directly the effect that BMP-7 may have on the developing hindbrain we have grafted COS cells expressing BMP-7 into the ventrolateral mesoderm abutting the neurectoderm in order to prolong BMP-7 expression in the vicinity of ventral hindbrain. Three distinct actvities of BMP-7 are apparent. Firstly, as expected from previous work in chick, BMP-7 can promote dorsal characteristics in the neural tube. Secondly, we show that it can also attenuate the expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh) in the floorplate without affecting Shh expression in the notochord. Finally, we find that ectopic BMP-7 appears to promote growth of the neurectoderm. These findings are discussed with respect to possible timing mechanisms necessary for the coordination of hindbrain dorsoventral patterning.

scholarly journals Regulative capacity of the cranial neural tube to form neural crest

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 1049-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Scherson ◽  
G. Serbedzija ◽  
S. Fraser ◽  
M. Bronner-Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Neural Crest ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Crest Cells ◽  
Neural Tube Closure ◽  
Dorsal Midline ◽  
Dorsal Neural Tube ◽  
Ventral Neural Tube ◽  
Cranial Neural Crest Cells ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Regulative Capacity

In avian embryos, cranial neural crest cells emigrate from the dorsal midline of the neural tube shortly after neural tube closure. Previous lineage analyses suggest that the neural crest is not a pre-segregated population of cells within the neural tube; instead, a single progenitor in the dorsal neural tube can contribute to neurons in both the central and the peripheral nervous systems (Bronner-Fraser and Fraser, 1989 Neuron 3, 755–766). To explore the relationship between the ‘premigratory’ neural crest cells and the balance of the cells in the neural tube in the midbrain and hindbrain region, we have challenged the fate of these populations by ablating the neural crest either alone or in combination with the adjoining ventral portions of the neural tube. Focal injections of the vital dye, DiI, into the neural tissue bordering the ablated region demonstrate that cells at the same axial level, in the lateral and ventral neural tube, regulate to reconstitute a population of neural crest cells. These cells emigrate from the neural tube, migrate along normal pathways according to their axial level of origin and appear to give rise to a normal range of derivatives. This regulation following ablation suggests that neural tube cells normally destined to form CNS derivatives can adjust their prospective fates to form PNS and other neural crest derivatives until 4.5-6 hours after the time of normal onset of emigration from the neural tube.

Severe defects in the formation of epaxial musculature in open brain (opb) mutant mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sporle ◽  
T. Gunther ◽  
M. Struwe ◽  
K. Schughart
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Body Wall ◽  
Mutant Mouse ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Surface Ectoderm ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Dorsal Neural Tube ◽  
Mutant Mouse Embryos ◽  
Derivatives Of

The differentiation of somite derivatives is dependent on signals from neighboring axial structures. While ventral signals have been described extensively, little is known about dorsal influences, especially those from the dorsal half of the neural tube. Here, we describe severe phenotypic alterations in dorsal somite derivatives of homozygous open brain (opb) mutant mouse embryos which suggest crucial interactions between dorsal neural tube and dorsal somite regions. At Theiler stage 17 (day 10.5 post coitum) of development, strongly altered expression patterns of Pax3 and Myf5 were observed in dorsal somite regions indicating that the dorsal myotome and dermomyotome were not differentiating properly. These abnormalities were later followed by the absence of epaxial (dorsal) musculature; whereas, body wall and limb musculature formed normally. Analysis of Mox1 and Pax1 expression in opb embryos revealed additional defects in the differentiation of the dorsal sclerotome. The observed abnormalities coincided with defects in differentiation of dorsal neural tube regions. The implications of our findings for interactions between dorsal neural tube, surface ectoderm and dorsomedial somite regions in specifying epaxial musculature are discussed.

Myogenesis in paraxial mesoderm: preferential induction by dorsal neural tube and by cells expressing Wnt-1

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 3675-3686 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.M. Stern ◽  
A.M. Brown ◽  
S.D. Hauschka
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Muscle Development ◽  
Paraxial Mesoderm ◽  
Myogenic Response ◽  
Dorsal Neural Tube ◽  
Ventral Neural Tube ◽  
Myogenic Induction ◽  
Inductive Activity

Previous studies have demonstrated that the neural tube/notochord complex is required for skeletal muscle development within somites. In order to explore the localization of myogenic inducing signals within the neural tube, dorsal or ventral neural tube halves were cultured in contact with single somites or pieces of segmental plate mesoderm. Somites and segmental plates cultured with the dorsal half of the neural tube exhibited 70% and 85% myogenic response rates, as determined by immunostaining for myosin heavy chain. This response was slightly lower than the 100% response to whole neural tube/notochord, but was much greater than the 30% and 10% myogenic response to ventral neural tube with and without notochord. These results demonstrate that the dorsal neural tube emits a potent myogenic inducing signal which accounts for most of the inductive activity of whole neural tube/notochord. However, a role for ventral neural tube/notochord in somite myogenic induction was clearly evident from the larger number of myogenic cells induced when both dorsal neural tube and ventral neural tube/notochord were present. To address the role of a specific dorsal neural tube factor in somite myogenic induction, we tested the ability of Wnt-1-expressing fibroblasts to promote paraxial mesoderm myogenesis in vitro. We found that cells expressing Wnt-1 induced a small number of somite and segmental plate cells to undergo myogenesis. This finding is consistent with the localized dorsal neural tube inductive activity described above, but since the ventral neural tube/notochord also possesses myogenic inductive capacity yet does not express Wnt-1, additional inductive factors are likely involved.

Control of dorsoventral pattern in vertebrate neural development: induction and polarizing properties of the floor plate

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 105-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marysia Placzek ◽  
Toshiya Yamada ◽  
Marc Tessier-Lavigne ◽  
Thomas Jessell ◽  
Jane Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Floor Plate ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Dorsoventral Patterning ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Cell Position

Distinct classes of neural cells differentiate at specific locations within the embryonic vertebrate nervous system. To define the cellular mechanisms that control the identity and pattern of neural cells we have used a combination of functional assays and antigenic markers to examine the differentiation of cells in the developing spinal cord and hindbrain in vivo and in vitro. Our results suggest that a critical step in the dorsoventral patterning of the embryonic CNS is the differentiation of a specialized group of midline neural cells, termed the floor plate, in response to local inductive signals from the underlying notochord. The floor plate and notochord appear to control the pattern of cell types that appear along the dorsoventral axis of the neural tube. The fate of neuroepithelial cells in the ventral neural tube may be defined by cell position with respect to the ventral midline and controlled by polarizing signals that originate from the floor plate and notochord.

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