Migrations in Development

Neural Crest Migration The peripheral nervous system is created by a spatiotemporally coordinated migratory process during which the precursor cells, the neural crest (NC) cells, traverse the embryo to reach distantly located sites.

Homing of peripheral neurons and their supportive cells might be dictated by a delicate equilibrium between the multiple actions of stimulatory and inhibitory molecules, which is modulated further by defined responses of the dispersing cells to these ECM components during their successive phases of phenotypic diversification.

Epithelial-Mesenchyme Transition In the first phase of neural crest cell migration, neural crest cells separate from the neural epithelium via an epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. We present three models to account for this process: (1) separation by asymmetric mitosis, (2) separation by generating tractional force in order to rupture cell adhesions (3) loss of expression or function of cell-cell adhesion molecules that keep the presumptive neural crest cells tethered to the neural epithelium.

Steps In NC Migration Initiation of migration Migration Homing Differentiation

Initiation of Migration Transition from tissue ball to migration Loss of cadherins Acquisition of Integrins Acquisition of motile machinery Stimulus to migrate