The long term goal of this research is to define in molecular detail the factors that control embryonic morphogenetic movements. Cells of the neural crest will be used to address fundamental questions concerning cell migration in the embryo. Neural crest cells give rise to a myriad of derivatives, each of which migrates and localizes to specific sites during embryogenesis. The previously accepted model for patterning neural crest derivatives proposed that neural crest cells are a pluripotent population of cells that migrate haphazardly into the various pathways and differentiate according to cues encountered in these paths. New evidence shows that an alternative mechanism guides melanoblasts (pigment cell precursors). Specifically: 1) melanoblasts are fate-specified prior to their migration from the neural tube, 2) only neural crest cells that are fate-specified as melanoblasts enter the dorsolateral path (i.e the path to the skin) and 3) under experimental conditions, melanoblasts are the only neural crest subpopulation that can exploit the dorsolateral path. This means that some neural crest subpopulations are specified prior to or shortly after they separate from the neural tube, and owing to molecular changes accompanying specification they are able to migrate in the appropriate path. In the next funding period we propose to extend this work by addressing the following Specific Aims: 1. To determine what molecular changes allow melanoblast migration into the dorsolateral path. 2. To determine what molecular changes control the specification of the melanoblast lineage. 3. To use a differential display strategy to determine what genes are expressed preferentially in the dorsal neural tube at the time that melanoblasts are being specified. 4. To determine whether prior specification of some neural crest subpopulations at the vagal level control pathway choice. Defects in neural crest morphogenesis are some of the most common birth defects and these studies may reveal their underlying basis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01GM053258-07S1
Application #
6481767
Study Section
Human Embryology and Development Subcommittee 1 (HED)
Program Officer
Zatz, Marion M
Project Start
1995-08-01
Project End
2003-07-31
Budget Start
2001-08-01
Budget End
2002-07-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$29,608
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
094878337
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Spear, Philip C; Erickson, Carol A (2012) Interkinetic nuclear migration: a mysterious process in search of a function. Dev Growth Differ 54:306-16
Spear, Philip C; Erickson, Carol A (2012) Apical movement during interkinetic nuclear migration is a two-step process. Dev Biol 370:33-41
Kuo, Bryan R; Erickson, Carol A (2011) Vagal neural crest cell migratory behavior: a transition between the cranial and trunk crest. Dev Dyn 240:2084-100
Kuo, Bryan R; Erickson, Carol A (2010) Regional differences in neural crest morphogenesis. Cell Adh Migr 4:567-85
Kelsh, Robert N; Harris, Melissa L; Colanesi, Sarah et al. (2009) Stripes and belly-spots -- a review of pigment cell morphogenesis in vertebrates. Semin Cell Dev Biol 20:90-104
Harris, Melissa L; Erickson, Carol A (2007) Lineage specification in neural crest cell pathfinding. Dev Dyn 236:1-19
Duong, Tuan D; Erickson, Carol A (2004) MMP-2 plays an essential role in producing epithelial-mesenchymal transformations in the avian embryo. Dev Dyn 229:42-53
Reedy, Mark V; Johnson, Randy L; Erickson, Carol A (2003) The expression patterns of c-kit and Sl in chicken embryos suggest unexpected roles for these genes in somite and limb development. Gene Expr Patterns 3:53-8
Kos, Robert; Tucker, Richard P; Hall, Ronelle et al. (2003) Methods for introducing morpholinos into the chicken embryo. Dev Dyn 226:470-7
Hall, Ronelle J; Erickson, Carol A (2003) ADAM 10: an active metalloprotease expressed during avian epithelial morphogenesis. Dev Biol 256:146-59

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