Co-option and innovation in neural crest evolution

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• The neural crest is a transient, stem-like cell population in vertebrates.
• It is defined by its migratory capacity and multipotency.
• It plays a crucial role in vertebrate evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the neural crest's role as an evolutionary opportunist.
• To distinguish co-opted features from true innovations within the neural crest.
• To propose an evolutionary scenario for the neural crest's origin.

Main Methods:

• This opinion piece synthesizes existing research and evolutionary theory.
• It analyzes the co-option of identities from other germ layers.
• It discusses a hypothetical evolutionary pathway for neural crest emergence.

Main Results:

• The neural crest co-opts identities from mesodermal, placodal, and central nervous system lineages.
• This co-option facilitated the generation of novel structures.
• A scenario is proposed where the neural crest originated from a photosensory lineage.

Conclusions:

• The neural crest's plasticity and migratory behavior enabled major vertebrate innovations.
• Its ancestral lineage may have been involved in light sensing and camouflage.
• The neural crest significantly contributed to the evolution of the vertebrate
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