From signalling to form: the coordination of neural tube patterning

Frith, Thomas J.R.; Briscoe, James; Boezio, Giulia L.M.

doi:10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.11.004

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 425 publications

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“…What might account for this difference in regulatory logic between flies and vertebrates? In vertebrates, patterning occurs as the neural tube grows and the spatial cues, provided by morphogen gradients, act dynamically (Frith et al, 2023). Accordingly, progenitors change their expression of spatial transcription factors as the neural tube develops.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This diversity is essential for neural circuit formation and function, yet how it arises during development remains incompletely understood. A gene regulatory network establishes spatial patterns of transcription factor expression in neural progenitors that governs the identity and pattern of neuronal and glial subtype generation (Frith et al, 2023). But spatial patterning alone fails to explain the full diversity of cell types.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube

Zhang,

Boezio,

Cornwall-Scoones

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The vertebrate neural tube generates a large diversity of molecularly and functionally distinct neurons and glia from a small progenitor pool. While the role of spatial patterning in organising cell fate specification has been extensively studied, temporal patterning, which controls the timing of cell type generation, is equally important. Here we define a global temporal programme in the spinal cord. This governs cell fate choices by regulating chromatin accessibility in neural progenitors. Perturbation of this cis-regulatory programme affects sequential transitions in spinal cord progenitors and the identity of progeny. The temporal programme operates in parallel to spatial patterning, ensuring the timely availability of regulatory elements for spatial determinants to direct cell-type specific gene expression. These findings identify a chronotopic spatiotemporal integration strategy in which a global temporal chromatin programme determines the output of a spatial gene regulatory network resulting in the temporally and spatially ordered allocation of cell type identity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube

Zhang,

Boezio,

Cornwall-Scoones

et al. 2024

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Neuromesodermal specification during head-to-tail body axis formation

Martins-Costa,

Wilson,

Binagui-Casas

2024

Current Topics in Developmental Biology

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Illuminating morphogen and patterning dynamics with optogenetic control of morphogen production

Benzinger,

Briscoe

2024

Preprint

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Cells use dynamic spatial and temporal cues to instruct cell fate decisions during development. Morphogens are key examples, where the concentration and duration of morphogen exposure produce distinct cell fates that drive tissue patterning. Studying the dynamics of these processes has been challenging. Here, we establish an optogenetic system for morphogen production that enables the investigation of developmental patterningin vitro. Using a tunable light-inducible gene expression system, we generate long-range Shh gradients that pattern neural progenitors into spatially distinct progenitor domains mimicking the spatial arrangement of neural progenitors found in vivo during vertebrate neural tube development. With this system, we investigate how biochemical features of Shh and the presence of morphogen-interacting proteins affect the patterning length scale. We measure tissue clearance rates, revealing that Shh has an extracellular half-life of about 1h, and we probe how the level and duration of morphogen exposure govern the acquisition and maintenance of cell fates. The rate of Shh turnover is substantially faster than the downstream gene expression dynamics, indicating that the gradient is continually renewed during patterning. Together the optogenetic approach establishes a simple experimental system for the quantitative interrogation of morphogen patterning. Controlling morphogen dynamics in a reproducible manner provides a framework to dissect the interplay between biochemical cues, the biophysics of gradient formation, and the transcriptional programmes underlying developmental patterning.

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From signalling to form: the coordination of neural tube patterning

Cited by 3 publications

References 425 publications

The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube

The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube

Neuromesodermal specification during head-to-tail body axis formation

Illuminating morphogen and patterning dynamics with optogenetic control of morphogen production

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