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Related Concept Videos

Neurulation01:30

Neurulation

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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...
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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...
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After a large-single-celled zygote is produced via fertilization, the process of cleavage occurs while zygotes travel through the uterine tube. Cleavage is a mitotic cell division that does not result in growth. With each round of successive cell division, daughter cells get increasingly smaller.
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During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In...
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Positioning the cell division plane is a critical step during development and cell differentiation, particularly during mitosis when the plane is essential for determining the size of the two daughter cells. The cell division plane is perpendicular to the plane of chromosome segregation, but different types of organisms have different cell division mechanisms to suit their morphology and function. 
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Three and Four-Dimensional Visualization and Analysis Approaches to Study Vertebrate Axial Elongation and Segmentation
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Evolvability in vertebrate segmentation.

James E Hammond1, Callum V Bucklow1, Berta Verd1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|August 6, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Vertebral number diversity in vertebrates is key to adaptation. This review explores the developmental origins of evolvability in somitogenesis, the process forming embryonic somites, to understand evolutionary changes in vertebral count.

Keywords:
DevelopmentEvodevoEvolutionEvolvabilitySomitogenesisVertebral counts

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Comparative anatomy

Background:

  • Vertebral count in vertebrates is highly diverse, reflecting adaptations to varied environments and lifestyles.
  • The evolutionary capacity for change in vertebral number (evolvability) is linked to somitogenesis, the embryonic process that establishes somite number.
  • Despite its evolutionary importance, the developmental mechanisms driving somitogenesis evolvability remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolutionary history of somitogenesis and vertebral number.
  • To identify potential developmental sources of evolvability within somitogenesis.
  • To provide a framework for future research into the evolution of vertebrate diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of evolutionary developmental biology studies.
  • Comparative analysis of somitogenesis across vertebrate taxa.
  • Synthesis of existing data on gene regulation and cellular mechanisms in somitogenesis.

Main Results:

  • Somitogenesis exhibits inherent plasticity, allowing for variations in somite number during embryonic development.
  • Evolutionary changes in vertebral number are likely influenced by modifications in the timing and rate of somitogenesis.
  • Specific genetic and cellular pathways controlling somite patterning present targets for evolvability.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the developmental basis of somitogenesis evolvability is crucial for explaining vertebrate skeletal diversity.
  • Further research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of somitogenesis can illuminate evolutionary trajectories.
  • The plasticity of somitogenesis provides a foundation for the adaptive radiation of vertebrate body plans.