Neural tube development in mutant (curly tail) and normal mouse embryos: the timing of posterior neuropore closure in vivo and in vitro

Development ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-167
Author(s):  
A. J. Copp ◽  
M. J. Seller ◽  
P. E. Polani
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Injection Technique ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Curly Tail ◽  
Mechanisms Of Development ◽  
Delayed Closure

A dye-injection technique has been used to determine the developmental stage at which posterior neuropore (PNP) closure occurs in normal and mutant curly tail mouse embryos. In vivo, the majority of non-mutant embryos undergo PNP closure between 30 and 34 somites whereas approximately 50% of all mutant embryos show delayed closure, and around 20% maintain an open PNP even at advanced stages of development. A similar result has been found for embryos developing in vitro from the headfold stage. Later in development, 50–60% of mutant embryos in vivo develop tail flexion defects, and 15–20% lumbosacral myeloschisis. This supports the view that delayed PNP closure is the main developmental lesion leading to the appearance of caudal neural tube defects in curly tail mice. The neural tube is closed in the region of tail flexion defects, but it is locally overexpanded and abnormal in position. The significance of these observations is discussed in relation to possible mechanisms of development of lumbosacral and caudal neural tube defects. This paper constitutes the first demonstration of the development of a genetically induced malformation in vitro.

Curvature of the caudal region is responsible for failure of neural tube closure in the curly tail (ct) mouse embryo

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 671-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.A. Brook ◽  
A.S. Shum ◽  
H.W. Van Straaten ◽  
A.J. Copp
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Mouse Embryo ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neural Tube Closure ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Curly Tail ◽  
Delayed Closure ◽  
Tube Closure

Delayed closure of the posterior neuropore (PNP) occurs to a variable extent in homozygous mutant curly tail (ct) mouse embryos, and results in the development of spinal neural tube defects (NTD) in 60% of embryos. Previous studies have suggested that curvature of the body axis may delay neural tube closure in the cranial region of the mouse embryo. In order to investigate the relationship between curvature and delayed PNP closure, we measured the extent of ventral curvature of the neuropore region in ct/ct embryos with normal or delayed PNP closure. The results show significantly greater curvature in ct/ct embryos with delayed PNP closure in vivo than in their normal littermates. Reopening of the posterior neuropore in non-mutant mouse embryos, to delay neuropore closure experimentally, did not increase ventral curvature, suggesting that increased curvature in ct/ct embryos is not likely to be a secondary effect of delayed PNP closure. Experimental prevention of ventral curvature in ct/ct embryos, brought about by implantation of an eyelash tip longitudinally into the hindgut lumen, ameliorated the delay in PNP closure. We propose, therefore, that increased ventral curvature of the neuropore region of ct/ct embryos imposes a mechanical stress, which opposes neurulation and thus delays closure of the PNP. Increased ventral curvature may arise as a result of a cell proliferation imbalance, which we demonstrated previously in affected ct/ct embryos.

Prevention of spinal neural tube defects in the mouse embryo by growth retardation during neurulation

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Copp ◽  
J.A. Crolla ◽  
F.A. Brook
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Growth Retardation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Growing Cell ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Curly Tail

Homozygous mutant curly tail mouse embryos developing spinal neural tube defects (NTD) exhibit a cell-type-specific abnormality of cell proliferation that affects the gut endoderm and notochord but not the neuroepithelium. We suggested that spinal NTD in these embryos may result from the imbalance of cell proliferation rates between affected and unaffected cell types. In order to test this hypothesis, curly tail embryos were subjected to influences that retard growth in vivo and in vitro. The expectation was that growth of unaffected rapidly growing cell types would be reduced to a greater extent than affected slowly growing cell types, thus counteracting the genetically determined imbalance of cell proliferation rates and leading to normalization of spinal neurulation. Food deprivation of pregnant females for 48 h prior to the stage of posterior neuropore closure reduced the overall incidence of spinal NTD and almost completely prevented open spina bifida, the most severe form of spinal NTD in curly tail mice. Analysis of embryos earlier in gestation showed that growth retardation acts by reducing the incidence of delayed neuropore closure. Culture of embryos at 40.5 degrees C for 15–23 h from day 10 of gestation, like food deprivation in vivo, also produced growth retardation and led to normalization of posterior neuropore closure. Labelling of embryos in vitro with [3H]thymidine for 1 h at the end of the culture period showed that the labelling index is reduced to a greater extent in the neuroepithelium than in other cell types in growth-retarded embryos compared with controls cultured at 38 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship between timing of posterior neuropore closure and development of spinal neural tube defects in mutant (curly tail) and normal mouse embryos in culture

Development ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Copp
Keyword(s):  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Genetic Predisposition ◽  
Normal Mouse ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Curly Tail ◽  
Genetically Determined ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between timing of closure of the posterior neuropore (PNP) and development of spinal neural tube defects (NTD) has been studied in individual mutant curly tail mouse embryos maintained in culture. Moderate delay in PNP closure results in development of tail flexion defects whereas extreme delay of PNP closure is associated with development of open NTD. Experimental enlargement of the PNP at the stage of 25 to 29 somites leads to delayed PNP closure and development of tail flexion defects in 36 % and 38 % respectively of non-mutant A/Strong embryos. In curly tail embryos, the effect of experimental enlargement of the PNP summates with the genetic predisposition to produce an increased incidence of spinal NTD among which open defects are proportionately more common. These results indicate that a causal relationship exists between delay in PNP closure and development of spinal NTD in mouse embryos. The method described for distinguishing between prospective normal and abnormal curly tail embryos at a stage prior to the appearance of malformations provides an opportunity to study the morphogenetic processes that precede the development of genetically determined spinal NTD.

Perturbations in choline metabolism cause neural tube defects in mouse embryos in vitro

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 619-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie C. Fisher ◽  
Steven H. Zeisel ◽  
Mei-Heng Mar ◽  
Thomas W. Sadler
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Choline Metabolism

Genesis and prevention of spinal neural tube defects in the curly tail mutant mouse: involvement of retinoic acid and its nuclear receptors RAR-beta and RAR-gamma

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 681-691
Author(s):  
W.H. Chen ◽  
G.M. Morriss-Kay ◽  
A.J. Copp
Keyword(s):  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
In Situ Hybridisation ◽  
Tail Bud ◽  
Retinoic Acid Signalling ◽  
All Trans Retinoic Acid ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Computerised Image Analysis ◽  
Curly Tail

A role for all-trans-retinoic acid in spinal neurulation is suggested by: (1) the reciprocal domains of expression of the retinoic acid receptors RAR-beta and RAR-gamma in the region of the closed neural tube and open posterior neuropore, respectively, and (2) the preventive effect of maternally administered retinoic acid (5 mg/kg) on spinal neural tube defects in curly tail (ct/ct) mice. Using in situ hybridisation and computerised image analysis we show here that in ct/ct embryos, RAR-beta transcripts are deficient in the hindgut endoderm, a tissue whose proliferation rate is abnormal in the ct mutant, and RAR-gamma transcripts are deficient in the tail bud and posterior neuropore region. The degree of deficiency of RAR-gamma transcripts is correlated with the severity of delay of posterior neuropore closure. As early as 2 hours following RA treatment at 10 days 8 hours post coitum, i.e. well before any morphogenetic effects are detectable, RAR-beta expression is specifically upregulated in the hindgut endoderm, and the abnormal expression pattern of RAR-gamma is also altered. These results suggest that the spinal neural tube defects which characterise the curly tail phenotype may be due to interaction between the ct gene product and one or more aspects of the retinoic acid signalling pathway.

scholarly journals Valproic Acid–Induced Deregulation In Vitro of Genes Associated In Vivo with Neural Tube Defects

2009 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Måns Jergil ◽  
Kim Kultima ◽  
Anne-Lee Gustafson ◽  
Lennart Dencker ◽  
Michael Stigson
Keyword(s):  
Valproic Acid ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects

A cell-type-specific abnormality of cell proliferation in mutant (curly tail) mouse embryos developing spinal neural tube defects

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Copp ◽  
F.A. Brook ◽  
H.J. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Posterior Neuropore ◽  
Curly Tail ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Notochord Cells ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Reduced Rate ◽  
Gut Endoderm

The mouse mutant curly tail (ct) provides a model system for studies of neurulation mechanisms. 60% of ct/ct embryos develop spinal neural tube defects (NTD) as a result of delayed neurulation at the posterior neuropore whereas the remaining 40% of embryos develop normally. In order to investigate the role of cell proliferation during mouse neurulation, cell cycle parameters were studied in curly tail embryos developing spinal NTD and in their normally developing litter-mates. Measurements were made of mitotic index, median length of S-phase and percent reduction of labelling index during a [3H]thymidine pulse-chase experiment. These independent measures of cell proliferation rate indicate a reduced rate of proliferation of gut endoderm and notochord cells in the neuropore region of embryos developing spinal NTD compared with normally developing controls. The incidence of cell death and the relative frequency of mitotic spindle orientations does not differ consistently between normal and abnormal embryos. These results suggest a mechanism of spinal NTD pathogenesis in curly tail embryos based on failure of normal cell proliferation in gut endoderm and notochord.

Genetic analysis of rare coding mutations of CELSR1–3 in congenital heart and neural tube defects in Chinese people

2016 ◽  
Vol 130 (24) ◽  
pp. 2329-2340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojin Qiao ◽  
Yahui Liu ◽  
Peiqiang Li ◽  
Zhongzhong Chen ◽  
Huili Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Planar Cell Polarity ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
Canonical Wnt

The planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway is critical for proper embryonic development of the neural tube and heart. Mutations in these genes have previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of neural tube defects (NTDs), but not in congenital heart defects (CHDs) in humans. We systematically identified the mutation patterns of CELSR1–3, one family of the core PCP genes, in human cohorts composed of 352 individuals with NTDs, 412 with CHDs and matched controls. A total of 72 disease-specific, rare, novel, coding mutations were identified, of which 37 were identified in patients with CHDs and 36 in patients with NTDs. Most of these mutations differed between the two cohorts, because only one novel missense mutation in CELSR1 (c.2609G>A p.P870L) was identified in both NTD and CHD patients. Both in vivo and in vitro assays revealed that CELSR1 P870L is a gain-of-function mutation. It up-regulates not only the PCP pathway, but also canonical WNT signalling in cells, and also induces both NTDs and CHDs in zebrafish embryos. As almost equal numbers of mutations were identified in each cohort, our results provided the first evidence that mutations in CELSR genes are as likely to be associated with CHDs as with NTDs, although the specific mutations differ between the two cohorts. Such differences in mutation panels suggested that CELSRs [cadherin, EGF (epidermal growth factor), LAG (laminin A G-type repeat), seven-pass receptors)] might be regulated differently during the development of these two organ systems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document