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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Monitoring the Mechanical Evolution of Tissue During Neural Tube Closure of Chick Embryo
Published on: November 10, 2023
[Pathogenesis and genetics of neural tube defects]
Monika Witczak1, Tomasz Ferenc, Jan Wilczyński
1Zakład Biologii i Genetyki Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Lodzi.
Abstract:
After congenital heart defects neural tube defects (NTDs) is the second most prevalent congenital malformation among birth defects. The average rate of isolated NTDs is 1.4-2.0 per 1000 live births worldwide. The etiology of isolated (nonsyndromic) NTDs is believed to be the result of a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Over 80 genes believed to be engaged in the neurulations have been identified during the investigation and research of the mouse models. Despite exhaustive research efforts, now spanning several decades, little is known about the actual genetic mechanisms governing the primary events involved in neural tube closure (NTC).
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