Neural crest gene regulatory networks as drivers of development, diversification and disease

The neural crest is an important stem cell population characterized by its multipotency, migratory behaviour and broad ability to differentiate into numerous derivatives throughout the vertebrate body, as diverse as cell types contributing to the cardiovascular system, craniofacial skeleton, peripheral nervous system and pigmentation of the skin. The developmental trajectory of the neural crest is governed by a complex gene regulatory network (GRN) that mediates induction and specification at the neural plate border, emergence of neural crest cells (NCCs) from the neural tube, their migration through the periphery and cell fate determination en route to different final destinations. In this Review, we discuss the significant progress in investigating the neural crest GRN, which has increased our understanding of how NCCs impact vertebrate development and evolution, their role in adult tissue regeneration and their contribution to diseases derived from abnormalities in NCCs.