Chicken trunk neural crest migration visualized with HNK1.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Cell Biology

Background:

• The nervous system develops from cells within the neural tube and migratory neural crest cells (NCCs).
• NCCs are mesenchymal cells originating from the dorsal neural tube, giving rise to diverse cell types like melanocytes and neurons.
• NCCs exhibit axial-level-specific fate restrictions (cranial, vagal, trunk, sacral).

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a detailed account of trunk neural crest cell migration in chicken embryos.
• To provide a guideline for observing trunk NCC migration patterns using wholemount and section techniques.
• To evaluate the utility of the HNK1 marker for studying NCC morphology and migration.

Main Methods:

• Observation of trunk NCC migration in chicken embryos.
• Utilizing wholemount and section imaging techniques.
• Employing the HNK1 antibody as a specific marker for NCCs.

Main Results:

• Significant delamination and migration of trunk NCCs occur between Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stages 15 and 19.
• Melanocyte precursors initiate migration along the dorsolateral pathway around HH stage 17.
• HNK1 proves to be a superior marker for visualizing NCC morphology and migration compared to Sox10 after HH stage 20.

Conclusions:

• Trunk NCC delamination and migration are dynamic processes occurring within specific embryonic developmental windows.
• The HNK1 antibody is a valuable tool for studying NCC migration, particularly for detailed morphological and migratory analyses up to a certain stage.
• Understanding NCC migration patterns is crucial for comprehending nervous system development and associated disorders.