Open AccessNeural crest cell plasticity and its limits
Author(s) -
Nicole M. Le Douarin,
Sophie Creuzet,
G Couly,
Élisabeth Dupin
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.01350
Subject(s) - biology , neural crest , microbiology and biotechnology , ectoderm , hox gene , mesenchymal stem cell , endoderm , induced pluripotent stem cell , precursor cell , cellular differentiation , morphogenesis , anatomy , embryonic stem cell , embryo , cell , transcription factor , embryogenesis , genetics , gene
The neural crest (NC) yields pluripotent cells endowed with migratory properties. They give rise to neurons, glia, melanocytes and endocrine cells,and to diverse `mesenchymal' derivatives. Experiments in avian embryos have revealed that the differentiation of the NC `neural' precursors is strongly influenced by environmental cues. The reversibility of differentiated cells(such as melanocytes or glia) to a pluripotent precursor state can even be induced in vitro by a cytokine, endothelin 3. The fate of `mesenchymal' NC precursors is strongly restricted by Hox gene expression. In this context,however, facial skeleton morphogenesis is under the control of a multistep crosstalk between the epithelia (endoderm and ectoderm) and NC cells.