Thus, the
neural crest cell population is defined by a combination of its embryonic origin, change from epithelial to mesenchymal morphology, acquisition of a migratory state, multipotency, and molecular markers.
Besides Johanna Nyffeler's active role as moderator of the session on "In vitro high content screens for neurotoxicity," she gave a presentation on "Migration of human
neural crest cells as functional endpoint to screen for developmental neurotoxicity".
In July, three scientists proposed that certain physical features shared by domestic animals, described as domestication syndrome, might all result from mild defects in the function of cells known as
neural crest cells (SN: 8/23/14, p.
The new work shows the critical and initiating role of WNT signals in
neural crest cell formation, with later contributions by FGF and BMP pathways.
The
neural crest cell defects are probably the result of changes in dozens of genes, each producing a small effect on the cells' behavior, the team proposes.
The alpha4 subunit of integrin is important for
neural crest cell migration.
Citation: "A Stable Cranial
Neural Crest Cell Line from Mouse;" Mamoru Ishu et al.; Stem Cells and Development, 2012;: 120813192836009, DOI: 10.1089/scd.2012.0155
Recently,
neural crest cells (NCCs) have been reported as an effective pathway to induce mesenchymal progenitors, as the resulting cells appear to have high potential for differentiation into osteocytes and chondrocytes [30-33].
To make patient-specific
neural crest cells, the team began with laboratory-grown skin cells that had been genetically modified to respond to the presence of the chemical doxycycline by glowing green and turning on the gene Sox 10, which guides cells toward maturation as a
neural crest cell.
For example, the analysis demonstrates that the first bifurcation on a cell's journey occurs at an intersection when a
neural crest cell must choose whether it will become a sensory nerve cell or another type.
Our own domestication, as is the case in animal domestication, it is hypothesized, resulted from
neural crest cell deficiencies (Barras, 2018; Wilkins et al.