Neural fold and neural crest movement in the Mexican salamander Ambystoma mexicanum

In studies of amphibian neurulation, the terms "neural ridge," "neural fold," and "neural crest" are sometimes used as synonyms. This has occasionally led to the misconception that grafting of the neural crest is equivalent to grafting of the neural fold. The neural fold, however, is composed of three parts: the neural crest, prospective neural tube tissue, and epidermis. In order to investigate how these neural fold components move during neurulation, time-lapse photography, electron microscopy, and grafting were performed. Ambystoma mexicanum embryos were photographed during neurulation at regular intervals. The photographs were analyzed to find the position of those cells at beginning of neurulation that end up on the line of fusion as the neural folds close. Posteriorly, these cells are already on the emerging neural fold. In the anterior neural folds, however, these cells are located in the lateral epidermis. Electron microscopy of the neural folds confirms the presence of epidermis. To follow the movement of the cells differentiating into melanophores (neural crest), neural fold parts were grafted into albino hosts. The crest cells differentiating into melanophores following ectopic grafting are located in the flank of the neural fold that is in contact with the neural plate. In grafts from the outside (distal) flank, no melanophores developed. Semithin sections show that the third part of the neural fold consists of apically constricted cells known to differentiate into neural tissue. Because the neural folds consist of epidermis, neural tissue, and neural crest, neural fold and neural crest cannot be used as synonyms.