Cell fate decisions during neural crest ontogeny

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Cell Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• The neural crest (NC) is a transient embryonic structure originating from the central nervous system (CNS) primordium.
• NC cells undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, enabling migration and differentiation into diverse cell types, including peripheral nervous system neurons, pigment cells, and craniofacial ectomesenchyme.
• A key unresolved question in developmental biology concerns the timing of lineage segregation from initially multipotent NC progenitors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current evidence on the emergence of cellular heterogeneity within the embryonic neural crest.
• To explore the temporal and spatial dynamics of fate specification and segregation in neural crest progenitors.
• To highlight the importance of understanding progenitor states for deciphering neural crest development.

Main Methods:

• This review synthesizes findings from numerous recent studies on neural crest development.
• It examines evidence related to the composition of premigratory NC populations within the dorsal neural tube.
• The review discusses data illustrating the existence and emergence of progenitors with varying states of specification.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests that the premigratory neural crest population is not homogeneous but comprises both multipotent and fate-restricted progenitors.
• Cellular heterogeneity appears early in ontogeny, challenging the notion of a uniformly multipotent precursor pool.
• Progenitors exhibit different states of specification that emerge dynamically in relation to time and anatomical location.

Conclusions:

• The embryonic neural crest contains progenitors with distinct states of specification, indicating early lineage segregation.
• Understanding the temporal and spatial emergence of these progenitor states is crucial for elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing neural crest fate determination.
• This heterogeneity is fundamental to the developmental potential and diverse derivatives of the neural crest.