Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Dissection, Culture and Analysis of Primary Cranial Neural Crest Cells from Mouse for the Study of Neural Crest Cell Delamination and Migration
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

Regulation of cell adhesions and motility during initiation of neural crest migration

Matthew R Clay1, Mary C Halloran

  • 1Department of Zoology, 1117 W. Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|October 26, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Neural crest cell (NCC) migration depends on cadherins and RhoGTPases for proper cell adhesion and motility. Precise regulation of these molecules is essential for NCC delamination and directed migration.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Accurate neural crest cell (NCC) migration is vital for development.
  • Cadherins and RhoGTPases are key regulators of cell adhesion and motility.
  • Their precise balance is crucial for NCC delamination and migration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of cadherins and RhoGTPases in NCC delamination and migration.
  • To explore the adhesion-dependent and independent functions of cadherins.
  • To understand how planar cell polarity signaling influences NCC migration direction.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms controlling cell adhesion.
  • Investigation of cytoskeletal dynamics during NCC delamination.
  • Study of signaling pathways regulating cell motility.

Main Results:

  • RhoGTPases regulate both cell adhesions and protrusive forces during NCC delamination.
  • Cadherins exhibit adhesion-independent signaling functions controlling NCC motility.
  • Proteolytic cleavage of cadherins regulates their signaling functions.
  • Planar cell polarity signaling, via RhoGTPases, directs NCC migration post-delamination.

Conclusions:

  • Cadherins and RhoGTPases are critical for NCC delamination and migration.
  • Adhesion-independent cadherin functions and RhoGTPase signaling are essential for NCC motility.
  • Precise regulation of these molecular players ensures correct NCC development.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Trunk Neural Crest Cell Migration using a Modified Zigmond Chamber Assay12:17

Analysis of Trunk Neural Crest Cell Migration using a Modified Zigmond Chamber Assay

Published on: January 19, 2012

Dissection of Xenopus laevis Neural Crest for in vitro Explant Culture or in vivo Transplantation09:07

Dissection of Xenopus laevis Neural Crest for in vitro Explant Culture or in vivo Transplantation

Published on: March 4, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...
Cell Migration01:19

Cell 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.
Cell Migration01:09

Cell 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.
Determination01:51

Determination

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...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins01:21

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...