Genomic analysis of neural crest induction

Abstract

The vertebrate neural crest is a migratory stem cell population that arises within the central nervous system. Here, we combine embryological techniques with array technology to describe 83 genes that provide the first gene expression profile of a newly induced neural crest cell. This profile contains numerous novel markers of neural crest precursors and reveals previously unrecognized similarities between neural crest cells and endothelial cells, another migratory cell population. We have performed a secondary screen using in situ hybridization that allows us to extract temporal information and reconstruct the progression of neural crest gene expression as these cells become different from their neighbors and migrate. Our results reveal a sequential 'migration activation' process that reflects stages in the transition to a migratory neural crest cell and suggests that migratory potential is established in a pool of cells from which a subset are activated to migrate.

DNA methyltransferase 3B regulates duration of neural crest production via repression of Sox10

“…Results DNMT3B Expression During Neural Crest Induction and Migration. We identified several epigenetic factors, including DNMT3B, in screens for neural crest genes (16,17). To assess its functional significance, we first examined DNMT3B transcript expression from gastrulation to the formation of neural crest derivatives, focusing on the cranial neural crest region in chicken embryos.…”

The disparate role of BMP in stem cell biology

“…Neural crest cells and metastatic cancer cells share phenotypic similarities such as high motility and invasiveness, and can follow the same migratory pathways (Gammill and Bronner-Fraser, 2002). Interestingly, transcriptome analysis has revealed both metastatic melanomas and migratory neural crest cells express comparable groups of genes including extracellular matrix molecules and proteins regulating the actin cytoskeleton (Gammill and Bronner-Fraser, 2002).…”

“…Interestingly, transcriptome analysis has revealed both metastatic melanomas and migratory neural crest cells express comparable groups of genes including extracellular matrix molecules and proteins regulating the actin cytoskeleton (Gammill and Bronner-Fraser, 2002). A popular hypothesis is that cancers can arise from the transformation of stem cells of the neural crest including neuroblastomas, neurofibromas and peripheral neuroectodermal tumors (Sell, 2004).…”

“…Stem cells share many of the characteristics of cancer cells including the ability to proliferate by a process of self-renewal and a loss of contact inhibition (Gammill and Bronner-Fraser, 2002). Therefore, the mechanisms governing the balance of stem cell renewal versus differentiation represent a useful model for understanding the development of human cancer.…”

Diversity in the molecular and cellular strategies of epithelium-to-mesenchyme transitions: Insights from the neural crest

“…Since several in-depth reviews have been published regularly over the years on NC cell delamination, 24,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] this review is aimed essentially at presenting aspects that have been poorly discussed, notably the description of NC cell delamination in the context of neurulation, and at re-interpreting data at the light of our current view on the EMT process in epithelial cell lines and tumors.…”