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Long-distance cue from emerging dermis stimulates neural crest melanoblast migration

  1. Kathryn W. Tosney*

Article first published online: 10 DEC 2003

DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.10492

Issue

Developmental Dynamics

Developmental Dynamics

Special Issue: Special Focus on the Neural Crest and the Contributions of James A. Weston

Volume 229, Issue 1, pages 99–108, January 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tosney, K. W. (2004), Long-distance cue from emerging dermis stimulates neural crest melanoblast migration. Dev. Dyn., 229: 99–108. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.10492

Author Information

  1. Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department and The Neuroscience Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

*Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department and The Neuroscience Program, The University of Michigan, 830 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 DEC 2003
  2. Article first published online: 10 DEC 2003
  3. Manuscript Revised: 20 OCT 2003
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 20 OCT 2003
  5. Manuscript Received: 8 SEP 2003

Funded by

  • NSF. Grant Number: 0212326

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Keywords:

  • cell migration;
  • chemotaxis;
  • dermis;
  • embryonic surgeries;
  • epithelial-mesenchymal transition;
  • guidance cues;
  • melanoblasts;
  • neural crest

Abstract

Neural crest melanoblasts display unique navigational abilities enabling them to colonize the dorsal path between ectoderm and somite. One signal shown here to elicit melanoblast migration is a chemotactic cue supplied by the emerging dermis. Until dermis emerges, melanoblasts fail to enter the dorsal path. The dermis emerges from a site that is too distant to stimulate migration by cell contact. Instead, surgeries show that dermis elicits migration from a distance. When dermis is grafted distally, neural crest cells enter the path precociously. Moreover, large grafts recruit melanoblasts from the control sides (without increasing crest cell numbers) as well as a few crest cells from ventral somite. Because other grafted tissues fail to stimulate migration, the dermis stimulus is specific. This report is the first documentation that trunk neural crest cells can be guided chemotactically. It also extends evidence that migration is exquisitely sensitive to temporal–spatial patterns of somite morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 229:99–108, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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