Temporospatial cell interactions regulating mandibular and maxillary arch patterning

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Ferguson ◽  
A.S. Tucker ◽  
P.T. Sharpe

The cellular origin of the instructive information for hard tissue patterning of the jaws has been the subject of a long-standing controversy. Are the cranial neural crest cells prepatterned or does the epithelium pattern a developmentally uncommitted population of ectomesenchymal cells? In order to understand more about how orofacial patterning is controlled we have investigated the temporal signalling interactions and responses between epithelium and mesenchymal cells in the mandibular and maxillary primordia. We show that within the mandibular arch, homeobox genes that are expressed in different proximodistal spatial domains corresponding to presumptive molar and incisor ectomesenchymal cells are induced by signals from the oral epithelium. In mouse, prior to E10, all ectomesenchyme cells in the mandibular arch are equally responsive to epithelial signals such as Fgf8, indicating that there is no pre-specification of these cells into different populations and suggesting that patterning of the hard tissues of the mandible is instructed by the epithelium. By E10.5, ectomesenchymal cell gene expression domains are still dependent on epithelial signals but have become fixed and ectopic expression cannot be induced. At E11 expression becomes independent of epithelial signals such that removal of the epithelium does not affect spatial ectomesenchymal expression. Significantly, however, the response of ectomesenchyme cells to epithelial regulatory signals was found to be different in the mandibular and maxillary primordium. Thus, whereas both mandibular and maxillary arch epithelia could induce Dlx2 and Dlx5 expression in the mandible and Dlx2 expression in the maxilla, neither could induce Dlx5 expression in the maxilla. Reciprocal cell transplantations between mandibular and maxillary arch ectomesenchymal cells revealed intrinsic differences between these populations of cranial neural crest-derived cells. Research in odontogenesis has shown that the oral epithelium of the mandibular and maxillary primordia has unique instructive signaling properties required to direct odontogenesis, which are not found in other branchial arch epithelia. As a consequence, development of jaw-specific skeletal structures may require some prespecification of maxillary ectomesenchyme to restrict the instructive influence of the epithelial signals and allow development of maxillary structures distinct from mandibular structures.

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 103 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 155-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. S. Lumsden

Teeth develop from composite organ rudiments that are formed through the interaction of oral epithelium and mesenchyme of the first branchial arch; cells of the former differentiate into enamel-secreting ameloblasts whereas those of the latter differentiate into dentine-secreting odontoblasts. Experimental analysis of odontogenic tissue interactions in mammalian embryos has focused on the late developmental stages of morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation; little is known about initial pattern-forming events, during which presumptive tooth-forming cells are specified and the sites of tooth initiation become established. It requires to be shown, for example, whether the mesenchymal cells of mammalian teeth are derived, like those of amphibians, from the cranial neural crest, and if so, whether these form a specified subpopulation in the neural folds. Alternatively, are they specified after migration into the mandibular arch, possibly by interaction with the oral epithelium? The developmental potentials of mouse embryo premigratory cranial neural crest cells (CNC – explanted from the caudal mesencephalic and rostral metencephalic neural folds) have been studied in intraocular homograft recombinations with various regions of embryonic surface ectoderm. Cartilage, bone and neural tissue developed in all combinations of CNC and epithelium. Teeth formed in combinations of CNC with mandibular arch epithelium but not in combinations of CNC with limb bud epithelium. Teeth also formed in combinations of mandibular arch epithelium with neural crest explanted from the trunk level. These results indicate that mammalian neural crest has an odontogenic potential but that this is not restricted to the crest of presumptive tooth-forming levels. Normal migration appears not to be a prerequisite for expression of odontogenic potential but this does require an interaction with region-specific epithelium. It is reasonable to infer that during normal development the neural crest that enters the mandibular arch is odontogenically unspecified before or during migration and that the oral epithelium is the earliest known site of tooth pattern.


Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (23) ◽  
pp. 4811-4818 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.L. Thomas ◽  
A.S. Tucker ◽  
M. Qui ◽  
C.A. Ferguson ◽  
Z. Hardcastle ◽  
...  

The molecular events of odontogenic induction are beginning to be elucidated, but until now nothing was known about the molecular basis of the patterning of the dentition. A role for Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 genes in patterning of the dentition has been proposed with the genes envisaged as participating in an ‘odontogenic homeobox gene code’ by specifying molar development. This proposal was based on the restricted expression of the genes in molar ectomesenchyme derived from cranial neural crest cells prior to tooth initiation. Mice with targeted null mutations of both Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 homeobox genes do not develop maxillary molar teeth but incisors and mandibular molars are normal. We have carried out heterologous recombinations between mutant and wild-type maxillary epithelium and mesenchyme and show that the ectomesenchyme underlying the maxillary molar epithelium has lost its odontogenic potential. Using molecular markers of branchial arch neural crest (Barx1) and commitment to chondrogenic differentiation (Sox9), we show that this population alters its fate from odontogenic to become chondrogenic. These results provide evidence that a subpopulation of cranial neural crest is specified as odontogenic by Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 genes. Loss of function of these genes results in reprogramming of this population of ectomesenchyme cells into chondrocytes. This is the first indication that the development of different shaped teeth at different positions in the jaws is determined by independent genetic pathways.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam A. Genuth ◽  
Christopher D.C. Allen ◽  
Takashi Mikawa ◽  
Orion D. Weiner

SummaryIn vivo quantitative imaging reveals that chick cranial neural crest cells throughout the migratory stream are morphologically polarized and migrate by progressively refining the polarity of their protrusions.AbstractTo move directionally, cells can bias the generation of protrusions or select among randomly generated protrusions. Here we use 3D two-photon imaging of chick branchial arch 2 directed neural crest cells to probe how these mechanisms contribute to directed movement, whether a subset or the majority of cells polarize during movement, and how the different classes of protrusions relate to one another. We find that cells throughout the stream are morphologically polarized along the direction of overall stream movement and that there is a progressive sharpening of the morphological polarity program. Neural crest cells have weak spatial biases in filopodia generation and lifetime. Local bursts of filopodial generation precede the generation of larger protrusions. These larger protrusions are more spatially biased than the filopodia, and the subset of protrusions that power motility are the most polarized of all. Orientation rather than position is the best correlate of the protrusions that are selected for cell movement. This progressive polarity refinement strategy may enable neural crest cells to efficiently explore their environment and migrate accurately in the face of noisy guidance cues.


Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (9) ◽  
pp. 1627-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Takahashi ◽  
G.H. Nuckolls ◽  
O. Tanaka ◽  
I. Semba ◽  
I. Takahashi ◽  
...  

Distinct cranial neural crest-derived cell types (a number of neuronal as well as non-neuronal cell lineages) are generated at characteristic times and positions in the rhombomeres of the hindbrain in developing vertebrate embryos. To examine this developmental process, we developed a novel strategy designed to test the efficacy of gain-of-function Msx2 expression within rhombomeres in ovo prior to the emigration of cranial neural crest cells (CNCC). Previous studies indicate that CNCC from odd-numbered rhombomeres (r3 and r5) undergo apoptosis in response to exogenous BMP4. We provide evidence that targeted infection in ovo using adenovirus containing Msx2 and a reporter molecule indicative of translation can induce apoptosis in either even- or odd-numbered rhombomeres. Furthermore, infected lacZ-control explants indicated that CNCC emigrated, and that 20% of these cells were double positive for crest cell markers HNK-1 and beta-gal. In contrast, there were no HNK-1 and Msx2 double positive cells emigrating from Msx2 infected explants. These results support the hypothesis that apoptotic elimination of CNCC can be induced by ‘gain-of-function’ Msx2 expression in even-numbered rhombomeres. These inductive interactions involve qualitative, quantitative, positional and temporal differences in TGF-beta-related signals, Msx2 expression and other transcriptional control.


Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (7) ◽  
pp. 1483-1494 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Maconochie ◽  
R. Krishnamurthy ◽  
S. Nonchev ◽  
P. Meier ◽  
M. Manzanares ◽  
...  

Hoxa2 is expressed in cranial neural crest cells that migrate into the second branchial arch and is essential for proper patterning of neural-crest-derived structures in this region. We have used transgenic analysis to begin to address the regulatory mechanisms which underlie neural-crest-specific expression of Hoxa2. By performing a deletion analysis on an enhancer from the Hoxa2 gene that is capable of mediating expression in neural crest cells in a manner similar to the endogenous gene, we demonstrated that multiple cis-acting elements are required for neural-crest-specific activity. One of these elements consists of a sequence that binds to the three transcription factor AP-2 family members. Mutation or deletion of this site in the Hoxa2 enhancer abrogates reporter expression in cranial neural crest cells but not in the hindbrain. In both cell culture co-transfection assays and transgenic embryos AP-2 family members are able to trans-activate reporter expression, showing that this enhancer functions as an AP-2-responsive element in vivo. Reporter expression is not abolished in an AP-2(alpha) null mutant embryos, suggesting redundancy with other AP-2 family members for activation of the Hoxa2 enhancer. Other cis-elements identified in this study critical for neural-crest-specific expression include an element that influences levels of expression and a conserved sequence, which when multimerized directs expression in a broad subset of neural crest cells. These elements work together to co-ordinate and restrict neural crest expression to the second branchial arch and more posterior regions. Our findings have identified the cis-components that allow Hoxa2 to be regulated independently in rhombomeres and cranial neural crest cells.


Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (12) ◽  
pp. 2751-2761 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Epperlein ◽  
D. Meulemans ◽  
M. Bronner-Fraser ◽  
H. Steinbeisser ◽  
M.A. Selleck

We have examined the ability of normal and heterotopically transplanted neural crest cells to migrate along cranial neural crest pathways in the axolotl using focal DiI injections and in situ hybridization with the neural crest marker, AP-2. DiI labeling demonstrates that cranial neural crest cells migrate as distinct streams along prescribed pathways to populate the maxillary and mandibular processes of the first branchial arch, the hyoid arch and gill arches 1–4, following migratory pathways similar to those observed in other vertebrates. Another neural crest marker, the transcription factor AP-2, is expressed by premigratory neural crest cells within the neural folds and migrating neural crest cells en route to and within the branchial arches. Rotations of the cranial neural folds suggest that premigratory neural crest cells are not committed to a specific branchial arch fate, but can compensate when displaced short distances from their targets by migrating to a new target arch. In contrast, when cells are displaced far from their original location, they appear unable to respond appropriately to their new milieu such that they fail to migrate or appear to migrate randomly. When trunk neural folds are grafted heterotopically into the head, trunk neural crest cells migrate in a highly disorganized fashion and fail to follow normal cranial neural crest pathways. Importantly, we find incorporation of some trunk cells into branchial arch cartilage despite the random nature of their migration. This is the first demonstration that trunk neural crest cells can form cartilage when transplanted to the head. Our results indicate that, although cranial and trunk neural crest cells have inherent differences in ability to recognize migratory pathways, trunk neural crest can differentiate into cranial cartilage when given proper instructive cues.


2016 ◽  
Vol 215 (5) ◽  
pp. 735-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Schiffmacher ◽  
Vivien Xie ◽  
Lisa A. Taneyhill

During epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), cells disassemble cadherin-based junctions to segregate from the epithelia. Chick premigratory cranial neural crest cells reduce Cadherin-6B (Cad6B) levels through several mechanisms, including proteolysis, to permit their EMT and migration. Serial processing of Cad6B by a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) proteins and γ-secretase generates intracellular C-terminal fragments (CTF2s) that could acquire additional functions. Here we report that Cad6B CTF2 possesses a novel pro-EMT role by up-regulating EMT effector genes in vivo. After proteolysis, CTF2 remains associated with β-catenin, which stabilizes and redistributes both proteins to the cytosol and nucleus, leading to up-regulation of β-catenin, CyclinD1, Snail2, and Snail2 promoter-based GFP expression in vivo. A CTF2 β-catenin–binding mutant, however, fails to alter gene expression, indicating that CTF2 modulates β-catenin–responsive EMT effector genes. Notably, CTF2 association with the endogenous Snail2 promoter in the neural crest is β-catenin dependent. Collectively, our data reveal how Cad6B proteolysis orchestrates multiple pro-EMT regulatory inputs, including CTF2-mediated up-regulation of the Cad6B repressor Snail2, to ensure proper cranial neural crest EMT.


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