Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
09:33
Dissection, Culture and Analysis of Primary Cranial Neural Crest Cells from Mouse for the Study of Neural Crest Cell Delamination and Migration
Published on: October 3, 2019
Abnormalities in neural crest cell migration in laminin alpha5 mutant mice
Edward G Coles1, Laura S Gammill, Jeffrey H Miner
1Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, USA.
Developmental Biology
|December 1, 2005
Summary
Laminin alpha5 restricts neural crest cell migration and aids in ganglion formation. This protein is crucial for the proper migration and differentiation of specific neural crest populations during embryonic development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Extracellular matrix molecules like laminin are suggested to influence neural crest migration in vitro.
- The in vivo function of laminin in embryonic development, particularly in neural crest cell behavior, remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of laminin alpha5 in neural crest cell migration and ganglion formation during embryonic development.
- To elucidate the function of laminin alpha5 as a potential regulator of neural crest cell pathways and differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Localization studies of laminin alpha5 in chick and mouse embryos.
- Analysis of neural crest migration in laminin alpha5 mutant mice.
- In vitro experiments exposing neural folds to laminin alpha5.
Main Results:
- Laminin alpha5 is localized in neural folds and neural crest migratory pathways in chick and mouse embryos.
- Laminin alpha5 mutant mice exhibit expanded neural crest migratory streams.
- In vitro, laminin alpha5 reduces the number of migratory neural crest cells.
- Mutants show defects in cranial sensory and trunk sympathetic ganglia condensation, with apparent recovery later.
Conclusions:
- Laminin alpha5 acts as a restrictive cue for neural crest cells, focusing their migration and condensation into ganglia.
- Laminin alpha5 is essential for the proper migration and timely differentiation of specific neural crest cell populations.
Related Concept Videos
01:56Gastrulation
Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata will form...
01:51Determination
During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In contrast, determination...
01:09Cell Migration
Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
01:19Cell Migration
Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
01:19Cadherins in Tissue Organization
The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...