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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
08:06
A Microfluidics Approach for the Functional Investigation of Signaling Oscillations Governing Somitogenesis
Published on: March 19, 2021
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The Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling in Somitogenesis
Angad Singh Chandel1,2, Matthew Stocker1,3, Ertuğrul M Özbudak1,4
1Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
DNA and Cell Biology
|July 18, 2023
Summary
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling regulates vertebrate somitogenesis. This review details how FGF signaling and the segmentation clock interact to form periodic somite boundaries during embryonic development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Signaling
Background:
- Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is crucial for embryonic development, regulating processes like cell differentiation and proliferation.
- Somitogenesis, the formation of body segments (somites) in vertebrates, is a key developmental process controlled by FGF signaling.
- The segmentation clock, involving oscillatory gene expression, and the FGF/ppERK gradient provide spatial and temporal information for somite formation.
Conclusions:
- The interplay between the segmentation clock and FGF/ppERK gradient is fundamental for establishing the segmented body plan in vertebrates.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the intricate regulatory network governing somitogenesis.
- Investigating these mechanisms offers insights into developmental processes and potential therapeutic targets.
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