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Related Concept Videos

Neurulation01:30

Neurulation

Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the anterior...
Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification01:24

Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification

Bone formation, or ossification, begins around the sixth to seventh week of embryonic development. Most bones develop from a cartilaginous template through the process of endochondral ossification. Cartilage formation begins when clusters of mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondrocytes. These chondrocytes proliferate rapidly and secrete an extracellular matrix that becomes encased in a membrane called the perichondrium. The resulting cartilage model provides a template that resembles the...
Gastrulation01:56

Gastrulation

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...
The Spinal Cord01:54

The Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is the body’s major nerve tract of the central nervous system, communicating afferent sensory information from the periphery to the brain and efferent motor information from the brain to the body. The human spinal cord extends from the hole at the base of the skull, or foramen magnum, to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra.
Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue01:27

Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue

Chondrocytes form a temporary cartilaginous model by dividing and secreting a thick gel-like extracellular matrix. Once the chondrocytes undergo programmed cell death, osteoblasts enter the site of the cartilaginous model. The process of replacing the temporary cartilaginous model with bone in an ordered manner is called endochondral ossification. In endochondral ossification, not all of the cartilage is replaced by bone tissue. Some cartilage that performs a protective and supportive function...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Visualizing the Node and Notochordal Plate In Gastrulating Mouse Embryos Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Whole Mount Immunofluorescence
09:36

Visualizing the Node and Notochordal Plate In Gastrulating Mouse Embryos Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Whole Mount Immunofluorescence

Published on: November 6, 2018

How was the notochord born?

Nori Satoh1, Kuni Tagawa, Hiroki Takahashi

  • 1Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna, Okinawa, Japan. norisky@osit.jp

Evolution & Development
|September 29, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The T-box gene Brachyury evolved a secondary function in chordates, recruiting genes to form the notochord, a key evolutionary innovation. This developmental process is crucial for understanding chordate origins and evolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Evolution
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Chordates evolved from a common ancestor with nonchordate deuterostomes over 550 million years ago.
  • The notochord, a defining feature of chordates, supports the larval tail and is named after this organ.
  • The T-box gene family, including Brachyury, likely arose during the evolution of multicellular animals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms underlying notochord formation during chordate evolution.
  • To emphasize the role of the Brachyury gene in notochord development.
  • To explore the evolutionary significance of Brachyury's dual functions.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics analysis of unicellular choanoflagellates, sponges, and cnidarians.
  • Review of molecular mechanisms and gene expression patterns.
  • Discussion of signaling pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, BMP/Nodal, FGF) involved in Brachyury activation.

Main Results:

  • Brachyury exhibits a primary function in gastrulation across metazoans, mediating invagination for archenteron formation.
  • During chordate evolution, Brachyury acquired a secondary function in the dorsal midline, essential for notochord development.
  • Signaling pathways regulate Brachyury's transcriptional activation for its role in forming the dorsal axial organ.

Conclusions:

  • Brachyury's evolution from a primary gastrulation role to a secondary notochord-forming role is a key event in chordate evolution.
  • Understanding Brachyury's secondary function provides insights into the dorsal-ventral inversion theory and aboral-dorsalization hypothesis.
  • This review facilitates further research into notochord formation, a central problem in metazoan evolutionary developmental biology.