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An Explant Assay for Assessing Cellular Behavior of the Cranial Mesenchyme
Published on: January 20, 2013
Relationship between neural crest cells and cranial mesoderm during head muscle development
Julien Grenier1, Marie-Aimée Teillet, Raphaëlle Grifone
1CNRS, UMR 7622 Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du Développement, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
Plos One
|February 10, 2009
Summary
Neural crest cells and muscle progenitor cells extensively mix during craniofacial development. Head tendon formation, originating from neural crest cells, requires muscle interaction for further development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Craniofacial development
- Cellular interactions
Background:
- Vertebrate jaw skeletal elements and tendons originate from neural crest cells, while muscles derive from cranial mesoderm.
- Neural crest cells and cranial mesoderm maintain a distinct boundary during early development.
- Head tendon formation and its interaction with muscle development remain understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intricate relationship between cranial neural crest cells and muscle precursor cells in the first branchial arch.
- To elucidate the origin and development of head tendons and their interaction with craniofacial muscles.
Main Methods:
- Utilized quail/chick chimeras for developmental studies.
- Employed molecular markers to track cell populations and gene expression.
- Analyzed gene expression patterns in Tbx1(-/-) mutant mice to assess muscle's role in tendon development.
Main Results:
- Observed neural crest cells migrating within the mesodermal core of the first branchial arch, challenging previous notions of distinct boundaries.
- Confirmed that all forming tendons associated with branchiomeric and eye muscles are of neural crest origin, expressing the Scleraxis marker.
- Demonstrated that while muscles are not essential for initial tendon formation, they are crucial for subsequent tendon development.
Conclusions:
- Neural crest cells and muscle progenitor cells exhibit more extensive mixing during craniofacial arch development than previously understood.
- Tendon-muscle interactions in the head share similarities with those in the limb, despite differing embryological origins.
- This study provides novel insights into the complex cellular dynamics governing craniofacial development.
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