Source: Yale University
Posted: July 11, 2006
Summary:
New Haven, Conn. — The fate of cells that go on to form the face, skull and nerve centers of the head and neck in vertebrates is determined much earlier in development than previously thought, and is independent of interaction with other forming tissues, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature.
The neural crest is a population of stem cells that migrate extensively during development and give rise to many derivatives, including most of the bone and cartilage of the head skeleton, pigment cells of the skin, and cells of the peripheral nervous system.
The researchers grew grafts of cells from “stage 3” chick embryos, before the neural plate formed, in non-inducing cultures. Surprisingly, restricted regions of the embryo generated both migrating neural crest cells and their derivative cell types, without any interaction with neural or mesodermal tissues.
Commentary: Maybe these results will produce new applications of embryonic stem cells to regenerat damaged or destroyed tissues and structures in humans.
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