Progress on the regulation of neural crest and the genetics in craniofacial development

The craniofacial features endow vertebrates with unparalleled evolutionary advantages. The craniofacial is composed of bone, cartilage, nerves, and connective tissues mainly developed from cranial neural crest cells (cNCCs). These tissues form complex organs which enable vertebrates to have powerful neural and sensory systems. NCCs are groups of migratory and pluripotent cells that are specific to vertebrates. The specification, premigration and migration, proliferation, and fate determination of the NCCs are precisely and sequentially controlled by gene regulatory networks, to ensure the ordered and accurate development of the craniofacial region. The craniofacial region represents a combined set of highly heritable phenotypes, which could be illustrated by the inherited facial features between relatives but perceptible differences among non-relatives. Such phenomena are termed heredity and variation, which are in accordance with the precision and plasticity of cNCCs gene regulatory network, respectively. Evidence has shown that genetic variations within the regulatory network alter the proliferation and differentiation of NCCs within a tolerable range, while deleterious mutations will lead to craniofacial malformations. In this review, we first summarize the development procedure of NCCs and their gene regulatory networks and then provide an overview on the genetic basis of the facial morphology and malformations. This review will benefit the understanding of craniofacial development and the prevention of craniofacial diseases.