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Molecular and cellular mechanisms of development underlying congenital diseases
Author(s) -
Hashimoto Masakazu,
Morita Hitoshi,
Ueno Naoto
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
congenital anomalies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-4520
pISSN - 0914-3505
DOI - 10.1111/cga.12039
Subject(s) - morphogenesis , biology , organogenesis , phenotype , organism , gene , model organism , function (biology) , developmental biology , genetics , computational biology
In the last several decades, developmental biology has clarified the molecular mechanisms of embryogenesis and organogenesis. In particular, it has demonstrated that the “tool‐kit genes” essential for regulating developmental processes are not only highly conserved among species, but are also used as systems at various times and places in an organism to control distinct developmental events. Therefore, mutations in many of these tool‐kit genes may cause congenital diseases involving morphological abnormalities. This link between genes and abnormal morphological phenotypes underscores the importance of understanding how cells behave and contribute to morphogenesis as a result of gene function. Recent improvements in live imaging and in quantitative analyses of cellular dynamics will advance our understanding of the cellular pathogenesis of congenital diseases associated with aberrant morphologies. In these studies, it is critical to select an appropriate model organism for the particular phenomenon of interest.