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4D imaging reveals stage dependent random and directed cell motion during somite morphogenesis
James McColl1,2, Gi Fay Mok3, Anna H Lippert4
1School of Biological Sciences, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK. jtm32@cam.ac.uk.
Scientific Reports
|August 25, 2018
Summary
This study reveals directed cell movement during embryonic somite differentiation. It uncovers how progenitor cells migrate to form skeletal muscle in chick embryos.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cellular dynamics
- Embryogenesis
Background:
- Somites are crucial embryonic segments forming the vertebrate trunk's musculoskeletal system.
- The cellular dynamics of somite differentiation remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cellular rearrangements and morphogenesis during somite differentiation.
- To analyze dynamic cellular changes in medial and lateral somite domains.
Main Methods:
- Live multi-photon imaging of transgenic chick embryos with membrane-bound GFP.
- Quantitative analysis and cell tracking of differentiating somites.
Main Results:
- Detailed examination of cellular rearrangements and morphological transformations within somites.
- First capture of directed dermomyotomal progenitor cell movement towards the rostro-medial dermomyotome.
Conclusions:
- This research elucidates key cellular dynamics in somite differentiation.
- Identified directed cell migration is essential for skeletal muscle initiation in the dermomyotome.
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