A new source of cells contributing to the developing gastrointestinal tract demonstrated in chick embryos☆☆☆

Ventrally emigrating neural tube cells contribute to the formation of Meckel's and quadrate cartilage

“…The vector used was replicationdeficient and free of the wild-type virus (Galileo et al, 1992). Injection of the virus outside the neural tube did not result in labeling of cells of the embryo, as also has been reported previously (Bockman and Sohal, 1998;Sohal et al, 1998a). We have also previously shown that after introduction of the virus into the lumen of the neural tube, the labeled cells are initially confined to the neural tube (Sohal et al, 1998a).…”

“…They differentiate into nerve, muscle, connective tissue, and epithelium (Bockman and Sohal, 1998;Sohal, 1998;Sohal et al, 1996Sohal et al, , 1998aSohal et al, ,b, 1999a. Thus, the developing structures have a more heterogeneous origin than previously realized, the functional significance of which is yet to the established.…”

“…The vector infects dividing neural tube cells randomly and the label is transmitted without dilution to the descendents (Galileo et al, 1992). The vector was provided by Deni S. Galileo, Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, and injected into the neural tube as described in detail previously (Bockman and Sohal, 1998;Sohal et al, 1998a). Briefly, approximately 0.2 µl of the viral concentrate was microinjected into the lumen of the rostral hindbrain neural tube, through a glass micropipette, in stage-14 embryos (Hamburger and Hamilton, 1951).…”

“…The immunolocalization procedure was identical to that described in detail previously (Bockman and Sohal, 1998). Briefly, sections were rinsed and blocked with 20% goat serum in PBS for 1 hr.…”

“…Third, they do not express the neural crest antigen HNK-1. Fourth, they differentiate into all four basic tissues: the nerve, muscle, connective, and epithelium (Bockman and Sohal, 1998;Sohal, 1998;Sohal et al, 1996Sohal et al, , 1998aSohal et al, ,b, 1999a. This cell population has been named as the Ventrally Emigrating Neural Tube cells, or VENT cells, on the basis of its origin and emigration.…”