Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
12:59
Three and Four-Dimensional Visualization and Analysis Approaches to Study Vertebrate Axial Elongation and Segmentation
Published on: February 28, 2021
4.0K
Development of a straight vertebrate body axis
1Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA michel.bagnat@duke.edu ryan.gray@austin.utexas.edu.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|October 7, 2020
Summary
This study explores how embryonic axial tissues form the adult vertebrate spine. It highlights genetic mechanisms and focuses on notochord development and cerebrospinal fluid, linking defects to scoliosis.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Comparative Anatomy
Background:
- Vertebrate body plan features a segmented spine.
- Embryonic axial tissues form the adult spine.
- Understanding spine development is crucial for identifying causes of spinal deformities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on spine formation from embryonic axial tissues.
- To summarize recent advances, particularly in zebrafish models.
- To investigate the roles of notochord development and cerebrospinal fluid physiology in spinal health and scoliosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature.
- Focus on genetic and biological mechanisms of body axis extension and straightening.
- Comparative analysis between zebrafish and amniotes.
Main Results:
- Recent studies illuminate genetic and biological pathways governing body axis elongation.
- The notochord plays a critical role in spinal development.
- Cerebrospinal fluid physiology is implicated in spinal alignment.
Conclusions:
- Defects in notochord development or cerebrospinal fluid dynamics can lead to scoliosis.
- Further research is needed to fully understand these complex developmental processes.
Related Concept Videos
01:56Gastrulation
64.5K
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...
64.5K
01:06Body Planes
28.6K
Body planes in anatomy are imaginary flat surfaces used as reference points to divide the body into sections for anatomical study. These planes are essential for understanding the orientation, relationships, and spatial organization of anatomical structures.
The sagittal plane is the plane that divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sides. If this vertical plane runs directly down the middle of the body resulting in equal division, it is called the midsagittal or median...
The sagittal plane is the plane that divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sides. If this vertical plane runs directly down the middle of the body resulting in equal division, it is called the midsagittal or median...
28.6K
01:16Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature
5.6K
The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form...
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form...
5.6K
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
3.2K
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...
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...
3.2K
01:30Neurulation
44.4K
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...
44.4K
01:15Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus
2.6K
Development of the reproductive organs in an embryo starts from a bipotential state. This means the early embryo can develop either male or female reproductive organs. The formation of these organs begins with the growth of gonadal ridges that arise from the intermediate mesoderm during the fifth week of development.
Near the gonadal ridges, two duct systems are present: the mesonephric ducts (Wolffian ducts) and paramesonephric ducts (Müllerian ducts). These ducts form the basis for the...
Near the gonadal ridges, two duct systems are present: the mesonephric ducts (Wolffian ducts) and paramesonephric ducts (Müllerian ducts). These ducts form the basis for the...
2.6K