1
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Mok CH, Hu D, Losa M, Risolino M, Selleri L, Marcucio RS. PBX1 and PBX3 transcription factors regulate SHH expression in the Frontonasal Ectodermal Zone through complementary mechanisms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597450. [PMID: 38895322 PMCID: PMC11185640 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling from the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ) is a key regulator of craniofacial morphogenesis. Along with SHH, pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox (PBX) transcription factors regulate midfacial development. PBXs act in the epithelium during fusion of facial primordia, but their specific interactions with SHH have not been fully investigated. We hypothesized that PBX1/3 regulate SHH expression in the FEZ by activating or repressing transcription. The hypothesis was tested by manipulating PBX1/3 expression in chick embryos and profiling epigenomic landscapes at early developmental stages. PBX1/3 expression was perturbed in the chick face beginning at stage 10 (HH10) using RCAS viruses, and the resulting SHH expression was assessed at HH22. Overexpressing PBX1 expanded SHH expression, while overexpressing PBX3 decreased SHH expression. Conversely, reducing PBX1 expression decreased SHH expression, but reducing PBX3 induced ectopic SHH expression. We performed ATAC-seq and mapped binding of PBX1 and PBX3 with ChIP-seq on the FEZ at HH22 to assess direct interactions of PBX1/3 with the SHH locus. These multi-omics approaches uncovered a 400 bp PBX1-enriched element within intron 1 of SHH (chr2:8,173,222-8,173,621). Enhancer activity of this element was demonstrated by electroporation of reporter constructs in ovo and luciferase reporter assays in vitro . When bound by PBX1, this element upregulates transcription, while it downregulates transcription when bound by PBX3. The present study identifies a cis- regulatory element, named SFE1, that interacts with PBX1/3 to modulate SHH expression in the FEZ and establishes that PBX1 and PBX3 play complementary roles in SHH regulation during embryonic development.
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2
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Ollonen J, Khannoon ER, Macrì S, Vergilov V, Kuurne J, Saarikivi J, Soukainen A, Aalto IM, Werneburg I, Diaz RE, Di-Poï N. Dynamic evolutionary interplay between ontogenetic skull patterning and whole-head integration. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:536-551. [PMID: 38200368 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02295-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The arrangement and morphology of the vertebrate skull reflect functional and ecological demands, making it a highly adaptable structure. However, the fundamental developmental and macroevolutionary mechanisms leading to different vertebrate skull phenotypes remain unclear. Here we exploit the morphological diversity of squamate reptiles to assess the developmental and evolutionary patterns of skull variation and covariation in the whole head. Our geometric morphometric analysis of a complex squamate ontogenetic dataset (209 specimens, 169 embryos, 44 species), covering stages from craniofacial primordia to fully ossified bones, reveals that morphological differences between snake and lizard skulls arose gradually through changes in spatial relationships (heterotopy) followed by alterations in developmental timing or rate (heterochrony). Along with dynamic spatiotemporal changes in the integration pattern of skull bone shape and topology with surrounding brain tissues and sensory organs, we identify a relatively higher phenotypic integration of the developing snake head compared with lizards. The eye, nasal cavity and Jacobson's organ are pivotal in skull morphogenesis, highlighting the importance of sensory rearrangements in snake evolution. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate the importance of early embryonic, ontogenetic and tissue interactions in shaping craniofacial evolution and ecological diversification in squamates, with implications for the nature of cranio-cerebral relations across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joni Ollonen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eraqi R Khannoon
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Simone Macrì
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vladislav Vergilov
- National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Jaakko Kuurne
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jarmo Saarikivi
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Arttu Soukainen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ida-Maria Aalto
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Raul E Diaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas Di-Poï
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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3
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Jones E, McLaughlin KA. A Novel Perspective on Neuronal Control of Anatomical Patterning, Remodeling, and Maintenance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13358. [PMID: 37686164 PMCID: PMC10488252 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
While the nervous system may be best known as the sensory communication center of an organism, recent research has revealed a myriad of multifaceted roles for both the CNS and PNS from early development to adult regeneration and remodeling. These systems work to orchestrate tissue pattern formation during embryonic development and continue shaping pattering through transitional periods such as metamorphosis and growth. During periods of injury or wounding, the nervous system has also been shown to influence remodeling and wound healing. The neuronal mechanisms responsible for these events are largely conserved across species, suggesting this evidence may be important in understanding and resolving many human defects and diseases. By unraveling these diverse roles, this paper highlights the necessity of broadening our perspective on the nervous system beyond its conventional functions. A comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions and contributions of the nervous system throughout development and adulthood has the potential to revolutionize therapeutic strategies and open new avenues for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. This review highlights an important role for the nervous system during the patterning and maintenance of complex tissues and provides a potential avenue for advancing biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelly A. McLaughlin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4700, Medford, MA 02155, USA;
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4
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Kyomen S, Murillo-Rincón AP, Kaucká M. Evolutionary mechanisms modulating the mammalian skull development. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220080. [PMID: 37183900 PMCID: PMC10184257 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals possess impressive craniofacial variation that mirrors their adaptation to diverse ecological niches, feeding behaviour, physiology and overall lifestyle. The spectrum of craniofacial geometries is established mainly during embryonic development. The formation of the head represents a sequence of events regulated on genomic, molecular, cellular and tissue level, with each step taking place under tight spatio-temporal control. Even minor variations in timing, position or concentration of the molecular drivers and the resulting events can affect the final shape, size and position of the skeletal elements and the geometry of the head. Our knowledge of craniofacial development increased substantially in the last decades, mainly due to research using conventional vertebrate model organisms. However, how developmental differences in head formation arise specifically within mammals remains largely unexplored. This review highlights three evolutionary mechanisms acknowledged to modify ontogenesis: heterochrony, heterotopy and heterometry. We present recent research that links changes in developmental timing, spatial organization or gene expression levels to the acquisition of species-specific skull morphologies. We highlight how these evolutionary modifications occur on the level of the genes, molecules and cellular processes, and alter conserved developmental programmes to generate a broad spectrum of skull shapes characteristic of the class Mammalia. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Kyomen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Andrea P Murillo-Rincón
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Markéta Kaucká
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, Plön 24306, Germany
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5
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Dhouailly D. Evo Devo of the Vertebrates Integument. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:25. [PMID: 37367479 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
All living jawed vertebrates possess teeth or did so ancestrally. Integumental surface also includes the cornea. Conversely, no other anatomical feature differentiates the clades so readily as skin appendages do, multicellular glands in amphibians, hair follicle/gland complexes in mammals, feathers in birds, and the different types of scales. Tooth-like scales are characteristic of chondrichthyans, while mineralized dermal scales are characteristic of bony fishes. Corneous epidermal scales might have appeared twice, in squamates, and on feet in avian lineages, but posteriorly to feathers. In contrast to the other skin appendages, the origin of multicellular glands of amphibians has never been addressed. In the seventies, pioneering dermal-epidermal recombination between chick, mouse and lizard embryos showed that: (1) the clade type of the appendage is determined by the epidermis; (2) their morphogenesis requires two groups of dermal messages, first for primordia formation, second for appendage final architecture; (3) the early messages were conserved during amniotes evolution. Molecular biology studies that have identified the involved pathways, extending those data to teeth and dermal scales, suggest that the different vertebrate skin appendages evolved in parallel from a shared placode/dermal cells unit, present in a common toothed ancestor, c.a. 420 mya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Dhouailly
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University Grenoble-Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France
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6
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Conith AJ, Hope SA, Albertson RC. Covariation of brain and skull shapes as a model to understand the role of crosstalk in development and evolution. Evol Dev 2023; 25:85-102. [PMID: 36377237 PMCID: PMC9839637 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Covariation among discrete phenotypes can arise due to selection for shared functions, and/or shared genetic and developmental underpinnings. The consequences of such phenotypic integration are far-reaching and can act to either facilitate or limit morphological variation. The vertebrate brain is known to act as an "organizer" of craniofacial development, secreting morphogens that can affect the shape of the growing neurocranium, consistent with roles for pleiotropy in brain-neurocranium covariation. Here, we test this hypothesis in cichlid fishes by first examining the degree of shape integration between the brain and the neurocranium using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics in an F5 hybrid population, and then genetically mapping trait covariation using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. We observe shape associations between the brain and the neurocranium, a pattern that holds even when we assess associations between the brain and constituent parts of the neurocranium: the rostrum and braincase. We also recover robust genetic signals for both hard- and soft-tissue traits and identify a genomic region where QTL for the brain and braincase overlap, implicating a role for pleiotropy in patterning trait covariation. Fine mapping of the overlapping genomic region identifies a candidate gene, notch1a, which is known to be involved in patterning skeletal and neural tissues during development. Taken together, these data offer a genetic hypothesis for brain-neurocranium covariation, as well as a potential mechanism by which behavioral shifts may simultaneously drive rapid change in neuroanatomy and craniofacial morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Conith
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002,Corresponding authors: AJC: , RCA:
| | - Sylvie A. Hope
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002
| | - R. Craig Albertson
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002,Corresponding authors: AJC: , RCA:
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7
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Geetha-Loganathan P, Abramyan J, Buchtová M. Editorial: Cellular Mechanisms During Normal and Abnormal Craniofacial Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:872038. [PMID: 35345852 PMCID: PMC8957218 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.872038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - John Abramyan
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, United States
| | - Marcela Buchtová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
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8
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Watanabe A, Balanoff AM, Gignac PM, Gold MEL, Norell MA. Novel neuroanatomical integration and scaling define avian brain shape evolution and development. eLife 2021; 10:68809. [PMID: 34227464 PMCID: PMC8260227 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
How do large and unique brains evolve? Historically, comparative neuroanatomical studies have attributed the evolutionary genesis of highly encephalized brains to deviations along, as well as from, conserved scaling relationships among brain regions. However, the relative contributions of these concerted (integrated) and mosaic (modular) processes as drivers of brain evolution remain unclear, especially in non-mammalian groups. While proportional brain sizes have been the predominant metric used to characterize brain morphology to date, we perform a high-density geometric morphometric analysis on the encephalized brains of crown birds (Neornithes or Aves) compared to their stem taxa—the non-avialan coelurosaurian dinosaurs and Archaeopteryx. When analyzed together with developmental neuroanatomical data of model archosaurs (Gallus, Alligator), crown birds exhibit a distinct allometric relationship that dictates their brain evolution and development. Furthermore, analyses by neuroanatomical regions reveal that the acquisition of this derived shape-to-size scaling relationship occurred in a mosaic pattern, where the avian-grade optic lobe and cerebellum evolved first among non-avialan dinosaurs, followed by major changes to the evolutionary and developmental dynamics of cerebrum shape after the origin of Avialae. Notably, the brain of crown birds is a more integrated structure than non-avialan archosaurs, implying that diversification of brain morphologies within Neornithes proceeded in a more coordinated manner, perhaps due to spatial constraints and abbreviated growth period. Collectively, these patterns demonstrate a plurality in evolutionary processes that generate encephalized brains in archosaurs and across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinobu Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, United States.,Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States.,Department of Life Sciences Vertebrates Division, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amy M Balanoff
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Paul M Gignac
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, United States
| | - M Eugenia L Gold
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States.,Biology Department, Suffolk University, Boston, United States
| | - Mark A Norell
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States
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9
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Balestrini S, Lopez SM, Chinthapalli K, Sargsyan N, Demurtas R, Vos S, Altmann A, Suttie M, Hammond P, Sisodiya SM. Increased facial asymmetry in focal epilepsies associated with unilateral lesions. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab068. [PMID: 34222868 PMCID: PMC8244637 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The epilepsies are now conceptualized as network disruptions: focal epilepsies are considered to have network alterations in the hemisphere of seizure onset, whilst generalized epilepsies are considered to have bi-hemispheric network changes. Increasingly, many epilepsies are also considered to be neurodevelopmental disorders, with early changes in the brain underpinning seizure biology. The development of the structure of the face is influenced by complex molecular interactions between surface ectoderm and underlying developing forebrain and neural crest cells. This influence is likely to continue postnatally, given the evidence of facial growth changes over time in humans until at least 18 years of age. In this case-control study, we hypothesized that people with lateralized focal epilepsies (i.e. unilateral network changes) have an increased degree of facial asymmetry, compared with people with generalized epilepsies or controls without epilepsy. We applied three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry and dense surface models to evaluate facial asymmetry in people with epilepsy, aiming to generate new tools to explore pathophysiological mechanisms in epilepsy. We analysed neuroimaging data to explore the correlation between face and brain asymmetry. We consecutively recruited 859 people with epilepsy attending the epilepsy clinics at a tertiary referral centre. We used dense surface modelling of the full face and signature analyses of three-dimensional facial photographs to analyse facial differences between 378 cases and 205 healthy controls. Neuroimaging around the time of the facial photograph was available for 234 cases. We computed the brain asymmetry index between contralateral regions. Cases with focal symptomatic epilepsy associated with unilateral lesions showed greater facial asymmetry compared to controls (P = 0.0001, two-sample t-test). This finding was confirmed by linear regression analysis after controlling for age and gender. We also found a significant correlation between duration of illness and the brain asymmetry index of total average cortical thickness (r = -0.19, P = 0.0075) but not for total average surface area (r = 0.06, P = 0.3968). There was no significant correlation between facial asymmetry and asymmetry of regional cortical thickness or surface area. We propose that the greater facial asymmetry in cases with focal epilepsy caused by unilateral abnormality might be explained by early unilateral network disruption, and that this is independent of underlying brain asymmetry. Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry and dense surface modelling are a novel powerful phenotyping tool in epilepsy that may permit greater understanding of pathophysiology in epilepsy, and generate further insights into the development of cerebral networks underlying epilepsy, and the genetics of facial and neural development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Balestrini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Gerrards Cross, UK
| | - Seymour M Lopez
- Department of Medical Physics, Centre for Medical Image Computing, UCL, London, UK
| | - Krishna Chinthapalli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Gerrards Cross, UK
| | - Narek Sargsyan
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Gerrards Cross, UK
| | - Rita Demurtas
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Gerrards Cross, UK
| | - Sjoerd Vos
- Department of Medical Physics, Centre for Medical Image Computing, UCL, London, UK.,Neuroradiological Academic Unit, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andre Altmann
- Department of Medical Physics, Centre for Medical Image Computing, UCL, London, UK
| | - Michael Suttie
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter Hammond
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Gerrards Cross, UK
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10
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Marchini M, Hu D, Lo Vercio L, Young NM, Forkert ND, Hallgrímsson B, Marcucio R. Wnt Signaling Drives Correlated Changes in Facial Morphology and Brain Shape. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:644099. [PMID: 33855022 PMCID: PMC8039397 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.644099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Canonical Wnt signaling plays multiple roles critical to normal craniofacial development while its dysregulation is known to be involved in structural birth defects of the face. However, when and how Wnt signaling influences phenotypic variation, including those associated with disease, remains unclear. One potential mechanism is via Wnt signaling’s role in the patterning of an early facial signaling center, the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ), and its subsequent regulation of early facial morphogenesis. For example, Wnt signaling may directly alter the shape and/or magnitude of expression of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) domain in the FEZ. To test this idea, we used a replication-competent avian sarcoma retrovirus (RCAS) encoding Wnt3a to modulate its expression in the facial mesenchyme. We then quantified and compared ontogenetic changes in treated to untreated embryos in the three-dimensional (3D) shape of both the SHH expression domain of the FEZ, and the morphology of the facial primordia and brain using iodine-contrast microcomputed tomography imaging and 3D geometric morphometrics (3DGM). We found that increased Wnt3a expression in early stages of head development produces correlated variation in shape between both structural and signaling levels of analysis. In addition, altered Wnt3a activation disrupted the integration between the forebrain and other neural tube derivatives. These results show that activation of Wnt signaling influences facial shape through its impact on the forebrain and SHH expression in the FEZ, and highlights the close relationship between morphogenesis of the forebrain and midface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Marchini
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Diane Hu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lucas Lo Vercio
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nathan M Young
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Nils D Forkert
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Benedikt Hallgrímsson
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ralph Marcucio
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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11
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Murillo-Rincón AP, Kaucka M. Insights Into the Complexity of Craniofacial Development From a Cellular Perspective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:620735. [PMID: 33392208 PMCID: PMC7775397 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.620735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The head represents the most complex part of the body and a distinctive feature of the vertebrate body plan. This intricate structure is assembled during embryonic development in the four-dimensional process of morphogenesis. The head integrates components of the central and peripheral nervous system, sensory organs, muscles, joints, glands, and other specialized tissues in the framework of a complexly shaped skull. The anterior part of the head is referred to as the face, and a broad spectrum of facial shapes across vertebrate species enables different feeding strategies, communication styles, and diverse specialized functions. The face formation starts early during embryonic development and is an enormously complex, multi-step process regulated on a genomic, molecular, and cellular level. In this review, we will discuss recent discoveries that revealed new aspects of facial morphogenesis from the time of the neural crest cell emergence till the formation of the chondrocranium, the primary design of the individual facial shape. We will focus on molecular mechanisms of cell fate specification, the role of individual and collective cell migration, the importance of dynamic and continuous cellular interactions, responses of cells and tissues to generated physical forces, and their morphogenetic outcomes. In the end, we will examine the spatiotemporal activity of signaling centers tightly regulating the release of signals inducing the formation of craniofacial skeletal elements. The existence of these centers and their regulation by enhancers represent one of the core morphogenetic mechanisms and might lay the foundations for intra- and inter-species facial variability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marketa Kaucka
- Max Planck Research Group Craniofacial Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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12
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Hogan AVC, Watanabe A, Balanoff AM, Bever GS. Comparative growth in the olfactory system of the developing chick with considerations for evolutionary studies. J Anat 2020; 237:225-240. [PMID: 32314400 PMCID: PMC7369194 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the long-held assumption that olfaction plays a relatively minor role in the behavioral ecology of birds, crown-group avians exhibit marked phylogenetic variation in the size and form of the olfactory apparatus. As part of a larger effort to better understand the role of olfaction and olfactory tissues in the evolution and development of the avian skull, we present the first quantitative analysis of ontogenetic scaling between olfactory features [olfactory bulbs (OBs) and olfactory turbinates] and neighboring structures (cerebrum, total brain, respiratory turbinates) based on the model organism Gallus gallus. The OB develops under the predictions of a concerted evolutionary model with rapid early growth that is quickly overcome by the longer, sustained growth of the larger cerebrum. A similar pattern is found in the nasal cavity where the morphologically simple (non-scrolled) olfactory turbinates appear and mature early, with extended growth characterizing the larger and scrolled respiratory turbinates. Pairwise regressions largely recover allometric relationships among the examined structures, with a notable exception being the isometric trajectory of the OB and olfactory turbinate. Their parallel growth suggests a unique regulatory pathway that is likely driven by the morphogenesis of the olfactory nerve, which serves as a structural bridge between the two features. Still, isometry was not necessarily expected given that the olfactory epithelium covers more than just the turbinate. These data illuminate a number of evolutionary hypotheses that, moving forward, should inform tradeoffs and constraints between the olfactory and neighboring systems in the avian head.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneila V. C. Hogan
- Center for Functional Anatomy and EvolutionJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Akinobu Watanabe
- Department of AnatomyNew York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Life Sciences DepartmentVertebrates DivisionNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - Amy M. Balanoff
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Gabriel S. Bever
- Center for Functional Anatomy and EvolutionJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
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13
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Niethamer TK, Teng T, Franco M, Du YX, Percival CJ, Bush JO. Aberrant cell segregation in the craniofacial primordium and the emergence of facial dysmorphology in craniofrontonasal syndrome. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008300. [PMID: 32092051 PMCID: PMC7058351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniofrontonasal syndrome (CFNS) is a rare X-linked disorder characterized by craniofacial, skeletal, and neurological anomalies and is caused by mutations in EFNB1. Heterozygous females are more severely affected by CFNS than hemizygous males, a phenomenon called cellular interference that results from EPHRIN-B1 mosaicism. In Efnb1 heterozygous mice, mosaicism for EPHRIN-B1 results in cell sorting and more severe phenotypes than Efnb1 hemizygous males, but how craniofacial dysmorphology arises from cell segregation is unknown and CFNS etiology therefore remains poorly understood. Here, we couple geometric morphometric techniques with temporal and spatial interrogation of embryonic cell segregation in mouse mutant models to elucidate mechanisms underlying CFNS pathogenesis. By generating EPHRIN-B1 mosaicism at different developmental timepoints and in specific cell populations, we find that EPHRIN-B1 regulates cell segregation independently in early neural development and later in craniofacial development, correlating with the emergence of quantitative differences in face shape. Whereas specific craniofacial shape changes are qualitatively similar in Efnb1 heterozygous and hemizygous mutant embryos, heterozygous embryos are quantitatively more severely affected, indicating that Efnb1 mosaicism exacerbates loss of function phenotypes rather than having a neomorphic effect. Notably, neural tissue-specific disruption of Efnb1 does not appear to contribute to CFNS craniofacial dysmorphology, but its disruption within neural crest cell-derived mesenchyme results in phenotypes very similar to widespread loss. EPHRIN-B1 can bind and signal with EPHB1, EPHB2, and EPHB3 receptor tyrosine kinases, but the signaling partner(s) relevant to CFNS are unknown. Geometric morphometric analysis of an allelic series of Ephb1; Ephb2; Ephb3 mutant embryos indicates that EPHB2 and EPHB3 are key receptors mediating Efnb1 hemizygous-like phenotypes, but the complete loss of EPHB1-3 does not fully recapitulate the severity of CFNS-like Efnb1 heterozygosity. Finally, by generating Efnb1+/Δ; Ephb1; Ephb2; Ephb3 quadruple knockout mice, we determine how modulating cumulative receptor activity influences cell segregation in craniofacial development and find that while EPHB2 and EPHB3 play an important role in craniofacial cell segregation, EPHB1 is more important for cell segregation in the brain; surprisingly, complete loss of EPHB1-EPHB3 does not completely abrogate cell segregation. Together, these data advance our understanding of the etiology and signaling interactions underlying CFNS dysmorphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terren K. Niethamer
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Teng Teng
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Melanie Franco
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Yu Xin Du
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. Percival
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CJP); (JOB)
| | - Jeffrey O. Bush
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CJP); (JOB)
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14
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Bright JA, Marugán-Lobón J, Rayfield EJ, Cobb SN. The multifactorial nature of beak and skull shape evolution in parrots and cockatoos (Psittaciformes). BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:104. [PMID: 31101003 PMCID: PMC6525378 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1432-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Psittaciformes (parrots and cockatoos) are characterised by their large beaks, and are renowned for their ability to produce high bite forces. These birds also possess a suite of modifications to their cranial architecture interpreted to be adaptations for feeding on mechanically resistant foods, yet the relationship between cranial morphology and diet has never been explicitly tested. Here, we provide a three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the developmental and biomechanical factors that may be influencing the evolution of psittaciformes’ distinctive cranial morphologies. Results Contrary to our own predictions, we find that dietary preferences for more- or less- mechanically resistant foods have very little influence on beak and skull shape, and that diet predicts only 2.4% of the shape variation in psittaciform beaks and skulls. Conversely, evolutionary allometry and integration together predict almost half the observed shape variation, with phylogeny remaining an important factor in shape identity throughout our analyses, particularly in separating cockatoos (Cacatuoidea) from the true parrots (Psittacoidea). Conclusions Our results are similar to recent findings about the evolutionary trajectories of skull and beak shape in other avian families. We therefore propose that allometry and integration are important factors causing canalization of the avian head, and while diet clearly has an influence on beak shape between families, this may not be as important at driving evolvability within families as is commonly assumed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-019-1432-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen A Bright
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
| | - Jesús Marugán-Lobón
- Unidad de Paleontologıa, Departamento Biologıa, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain.,Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Musuem of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, USA
| | - Emily J Rayfield
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Samuel N Cobb
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.,Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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15
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Watanabe A, Gignac PM, Balanoff AM, Green TL, Kley NJ, Norell MA. Are endocasts good proxies for brain size and shape in archosaurs throughout ontogeny? J Anat 2019; 234:291-305. [PMID: 30506962 PMCID: PMC6365484 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cranial endocasts, or the internal molds of the braincase, are a crucial correlate for investigating the neuroanatomy of extinct vertebrates and tracking brain evolution through deep time. Nevertheless, the validity of such studies pivots on the reliability of endocasts as a proxy for brain morphology. Here, we employ micro-computed tomography imaging, including diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced CT, and a three-dimensional geometric morphometric framework to examine both size and shape differences between brains and endocasts of two exemplar archosaur taxa - the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus). With ontogenetic sampling, we quantitatively evaluate how endocasts differ from brains and whether this deviation changes during development. We find strong size and shape correlations between brains and endocasts, divergent ontogenetic trends in the brain-to-endocast correspondence between alligators and chickens, and a comparable magnitude between brain-endocast shape differences and intraspecific neuroanatomical variation. The results have important implications for paleoneurological studies in archosaurs. Notably, we demonstrate that the pattern of endocranial shape variation closely reflects brain shape variation. Therefore, analyses of endocranial morphology are unlikely to generate spurious conclusions about large-scale trends in brain size and shape. To mitigate any artifacts, however, paleoneurological studies should consider the lower brain-endocast correspondence in the hindbrain relative to the forebrain; higher size and shape correspondences in chickens than alligators throughout postnatal ontogeny; artificially 'pedomorphic' shape of endocasts relative to their corresponding brains; and potential biases in both size and shape data due to the lack of control for ontogenetic stages in endocranial sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinobu Watanabe
- Department of AnatomyNew York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic MedicineOld WestburyNYUSA
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Richard Gilder Graduate SchoolAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Life Sciences Vertebrates DivisionNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - Paul M. Gignac
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyOklahoma State University Center for Health SciencesTulsaOKUSA
| | - Amy M. Balanoff
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Center for Functional Anatomy and EvolutionJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Todd L. Green
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyOklahoma State University Center for Health SciencesTulsaOKUSA
| | - Nathan J. Kley
- Department of Anatomical SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNYUSA
| | - Mark A. Norell
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
- Richard Gilder Graduate SchoolAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
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16
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Trejo JL. Cranial Nerves: Mind Your Head. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:374-377. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Trejo
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, CSIC; Cajal Institute; Madrid Spain
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17
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Martínez-Abadías N, Mateu Estivill R, Sastre Tomas J, Motch Perrine S, Yoon M, Robert-Moreno A, Swoger J, Russo L, Kawasaki K, Richtsmeier J, Sharpe J. Quantification of gene expression patterns to reveal the origins of abnormal morphogenesis. eLife 2018; 7:36405. [PMID: 30234486 PMCID: PMC6199133 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The earliest developmental origins of dysmorphologies are poorly understood in many congenital diseases. They often remain elusive because the first signs of genetic misregulation may initiate as subtle changes in gene expression, which are hard to detect and can be obscured later in development by secondary effects. Here, we develop a method to trace back the origins of phenotypic abnormalities by accurately quantifying the 3D spatial distribution of gene expression domains in developing organs. By applying Geometric Morphometrics to 3D gene expression data obtained by Optical Projection Tomography, we determined that our approach is sensitive enough to find regulatory abnormalities that have never been detected previously. We identified subtle but significant differences in the gene expression of a downstream target of a Fgfr2 mutation associated with Apert syndrome, demonstrating that these mouse models can further our understanding of limb defects in the human condition. Our method can be applied to different organ systems and models to investigate the etiology of malformations. Our development in the womb is complex. Genes need to switch on and off in a precise order, controlling the activity of millions of cells as they work together to form different tissues. For everything to happen smoothly, cells must use instructions provided by each gene exactly at the correct moment and in the correct place. In this biological assembly line, the slightest change can lead to a defect. Certain genetic mutations can change when and where cells use particular genes, and this can cause errors in development. These kinds of mutations are a common cause of birth defects, but we cannot always pinpoint how they begin. For example, a single mutation in a gene called FGFR2 causes malformations in the head, the heart and the limbs in a rare disease called Apert syndrome. The first signs that development has gone wrong can be subtle changes in the use of certain genes, impossible to detect with standard methods. As development continues, other processes can mask the impact of problems with certain genes. Ultimately, changes alter the shape of the developing embryo. Genetically engineered mouse models can mimic the gene defects that cause disease in humans. But current methods are not sensitive enough to detect the very first signs of defects. Now, Martínez-Abadías et al. developed a new method to detect these subtle changes and reveal the precise moment when development starts to go wrong. In mice, a specific mutation in the FGFR2 gene affects the activity of a series of other genes. To track the levels of one of these genes, Martínez-Abadías et al. marked mouse embryos using a chemical label. Scanning the embryos then revealed the pattern of the cells using the gene during the earliest stages of development. In mice carrying a mutation in the FGFR2 gene, subtle changes in gene expression began just a few hours after their limbs start to develop. But it took another half a day to see the effects of these changes on the shape and size of the growing limbs. This approach revealed changes in gene expression before any problems with development were visible by eye. Tracking subtle changes in the way cells use genes could allow us to detect the origins of embryo malformations before they appear, pointing at the best moment to start a treatment. With further development, the model could extend to other genes, proteins, animal models and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Martínez-Abadías
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Melissa Yoon
- Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Alexandre Robert-Moreno
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jim Swoger
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucia Russo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - James Sharpe
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
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18
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Kaucka M, Petersen J, Tesarova M, Szarowska B, Kastriti ME, Xie M, Kicheva A, Annusver K, Kasper M, Symmons O, Pan L, Spitz F, Kaiser J, Hovorakova M, Zikmund T, Sunadome K, Matise MP, Wang H, Marklund U, Abdo H, Ernfors P, Maire P, Wurmser M, Chagin AS, Fried K, Adameyko I. Signals from the brain and olfactory epithelium control shaping of the mammalian nasal capsule cartilage. eLife 2018; 7:34465. [PMID: 29897331 PMCID: PMC6019068 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial shape is the basis for facial recognition and categorization. Facial features reflect the underlying geometry of the skeletal structures. Here, we reveal that cartilaginous nasal capsule (corresponding to upper jaw and face) is shaped by signals generated by neural structures: brain and olfactory epithelium. Brain-derived Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) enables the induction of nasal septum and posterior nasal capsule, whereas the formation of a capsule roof is controlled by signals from the olfactory epithelium. Unexpectedly, the cartilage of the nasal capsule turned out to be important for shaping membranous facial bones during development. This suggests that conserved neurosensory structures could benefit from protection and have evolved signals inducing cranial cartilages encasing them. Experiments with mutant mice revealed that the genomic regulatory regions controlling production of SHH in the nervous system contribute to facial cartilage morphogenesis, which might be a mechanism responsible for the adaptive evolution of animal faces and snouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Kaucka
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julian Petersen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marketa Tesarova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Bara Szarowska
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Eleni Kastriti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Meng Xie
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Kicheva
- Institute of Science and Technology IST Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Karl Annusver
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Innovative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Maria Kasper
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Innovative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Orsolya Symmons
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Leslie Pan
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Francois Spitz
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.,Genomics of Animal Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Jozef Kaiser
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Hovorakova
- Department of Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Zikmund
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kazunori Sunadome
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael P Matise
- Department of Neuroscience & Cell Biology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, United States
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Neuroscience & Cell Biology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, United States
| | - Ulrika Marklund
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hind Abdo
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrik Ernfors
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pascal Maire
- Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, Institute Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Maud Wurmser
- Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, Institute Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Andrei S Chagin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kaj Fried
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Igor Adameyko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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19
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Schneider RA. Neural crest and the origin of species-specific pattern. Genesis 2018; 56:e23219. [PMID: 30134069 PMCID: PMC6108449 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
For well over half of the 150 years since the discovery of the neural crest, the special ability of these cells to function as a source of species-specific pattern has been clearly recognized. Initially, this observation arose in association with chimeric transplant experiments among differentially pigmented amphibians, where the neural crest origin for melanocytes had been duly noted. Shortly thereafter, the role of cranial neural crest cells in transmitting species-specific information on size and shape to the pharyngeal arch skeleton as well as in regulating the timing of its differentiation became readily apparent. Since then, what has emerged is a deeper understanding of how the neural crest accomplishes such a presumably difficult mission, and this includes a more complete picture of the molecular and cellular programs whereby neural crest shapes the face of each species. This review covers studies on a broad range of vertebrates and describes neural-crest-mediated mechanisms that endow the craniofacial complex with species-specific pattern. A major focus is on experiments in quail and duck embryos that reveal a hierarchy of cell-autonomous and non-autonomous signaling interactions through which neural crest generates species-specific pattern in the craniofacial integument, skeleton, and musculature. By controlling size and shape throughout the development of these systems, the neural crest underlies the structural and functional integration of the craniofacial complex during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Schneider
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryUniversity of California at San Francisco, 513 Parnassus AvenueS‐1161San Francisco, California
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20
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Hallgrimsson B, Green RM, Katz DC, Fish JL, Bernier FP, Roseman CC, Young NM, Cheverud JM, Marcucio RS. The developmental-genetics of canalization. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 88:67-79. [PMID: 29782925 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Canalization, or robustness to genetic or environmental perturbations, is fundamental to complex organisms. While there is strong evidence for canalization as an evolved property that varies among genotypes, the developmental and genetic mechanisms that produce this phenomenon are very poorly understood. For evolutionary biology, understanding how canalization arises is important because, by modulating the phenotypic variation that arises in response to genetic differences, canalization is a determinant of evolvability. For genetics of disease in humans and for economically important traits in agriculture, this subject is important because canalization is a potentially significant cause of missing heritability that confounds genomic prediction of phenotypes. We review the major lines of thought on the developmental-genetic basis for canalization. These fall into two groups. One proposes specific evolved molecular mechanisms while the other deals with robustness or canalization as a more general feature of development. These explanations for canalization are not mutually exclusive and they overlap in several ways. General explanations for canalization are more likely to involve emergent features of development than specific molecular mechanisms. Disentangling these explanations is also complicated by differences in perspectives between genetics and developmental biology. Understanding canalization at a mechanistic level will require conceptual and methodological approaches that integrate quantitative genetics and developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Hallgrimsson
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Rebecca M Green
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - David C Katz
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jennifer L Fish
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA
| | - Francois P Bernier
- Dept of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Charles C Roseman
- Dept. of Animal Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Nathan M Young
- Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA
| | - James M Cheverud
- Dept. of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA
| | - Ralph S Marcucio
- Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA.
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21
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Ziermann JM, Diogo R, Noden DM. Neural crest and the patterning of vertebrate craniofacial muscles. Genesis 2018; 56:e23097. [PMID: 29659153 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Patterning of craniofacial muscles overtly begins with the activation of lineage-specific markers at precise, evolutionarily conserved locations within prechordal, lateral, and both unsegmented and somitic paraxial mesoderm populations. Although these initial programming events occur without influence of neural crest cells, the subsequent movements and differentiation stages of most head muscles are neural crest-dependent. Incorporating both descriptive and experimental studies, this review examines each stage of myogenesis up through the formation of attachments to their skeletal partners. We present the similarities among developing muscle groups, including comparisons with trunk myogenesis, but emphasize the morphogenetic processes that are unique to each group and sometimes subsets of muscles within a group. These groups include branchial (pharyngeal) arches, which encompass both those with clear homologues in all vertebrate classes and those unique to one, for example, mammalian facial muscles, and also extraocular, laryngeal, tongue, and neck muscles. The presence of several distinct processes underlying neural crest:myoblast/myocyte interactions and behaviors is not surprising, given the wide range of both quantitative and qualitative variations in craniofacial muscle organization achieved during vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M Ziermann
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Rui Diogo
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Drew M Noden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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22
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Richtsmeier JT. A century of development. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:726-740. [PMID: 29574839 PMCID: PMC6007869 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joan T Richtsmeier
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
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23
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Abzhanov A. The old and new faces of morphology: the legacy of D'Arcy Thompson's 'theory of transformations' and 'laws of growth'. Development 2017; 144:4284-4297. [PMID: 29183941 DOI: 10.1242/dev.137505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In 1917, the publication of On Growth and Form by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson challenged both mathematicians and naturalists to think about biological shapes and diversity as more than a confusion of chaotic forms generated at random, but rather as geometric shapes that could be described by principles of physics and mathematics. Thompson's work was based on the ideas of Galileo and Goethe on morphology and of Russell on functionalism, but he was first to postulate that physical forces and internal growth parameters regulate biological forms and could be revealed via geometric transformations in morphological space. Such precise mathematical structure suggested a unifying generative process, as reflected in the title of the book. To Thompson it was growth that could explain the generation of any particular biological form, and changes in ontogeny, rather than natural selection, could then explain the diversity of biological shapes. Whereas adaptationism, widely accepted in evolutionary biology, gives primacy to extrinsic factors in producing morphological variation, Thompson's 'laws of growth' provide intrinsic directives and constraints for the generation of individual shapes, helping to explain the 'profusion of forms, colours, and other modifications' observed in the living world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arhat Abzhanov
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK .,Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
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24
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Schock EN, Brugmann SA. Neural crest cells utilize primary cilia to regulate ventral forebrain morphogenesis via Hedgehog-dependent regulation of oriented cell division. Dev Biol 2017; 431:168-178. [PMID: 28941984 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Development of the brain directly influences the development of the face via both physical growth and Sonic hedgehog (SHH) activity; however, little is known about how neural crest cells (NCCs), the mesenchymal population that comprise the developing facial prominences, influence the development of the brain. We utilized the conditional ciliary mutant Wnt1-Cre;Kif3afl/fl to demonstrate that loss of primary cilia on NCCs resulted in a widened ventral forebrain. We found that neuroectodermal Shh expression, dorsal/ventral patterning, and amount of proliferation in the ventral neuroectoderm was not changed in Wnt1-Cre;Kif3afl/fl mutants; however, tissue polarity and directional cell division were disrupted. Furthermore, NCCs of Wnt1-Cre;Kif3afl/fl mutants failed to respond to a SHH signal emanating from the ventral forebrain. We were able to recapitulate the ventral forebrain phenotype by removing Smoothened from NCCs (Wnt1-Cre;Smofl/fl) indicating that changes in the ventral forebrain were mediated through a Hedgehog-dependent mechanism. Together, these data suggest a novel, cilia-dependent mechanism for NCCs during forebrain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth N Schock
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Samantha A Brugmann
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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25
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Schock EN, Brugmann SA. Discovery, Diagnosis, and Etiology of Craniofacial Ciliopathies. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a028258. [PMID: 28213462 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a028258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Seventy-five percent of congenital disorders present with some form of craniofacial malformation. The frequency and severity of these malformations makes understanding the etiological basis crucial for diagnosis and treatment. A significant link between craniofacial malformations and primary cilia arose several years ago with the determination that ∼30% of ciliopathies could be primarily defined by their craniofacial phenotype. The link between the cilium and the face has proven significant, as several new "craniofacial ciliopathies" have recently been diagnosed. Herein, we reevaluate public disease databases, report several new craniofacial ciliopathies, and propose several "predicted" craniofacial ciliopathies. Furthermore, we discuss why the craniofacial complex is so sensitive to ciliopathic dysfunction, addressing tissue-specific functions of the cilium as well as its role in signal transduction relevant to craniofacial development. As a whole, these analyses suggest a characteristic facial phenotype associated with craniofacial ciliopathies that can perhaps be used for rapid discovery and diagnosis of similar disorders in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth N Schock
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, and Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
| | - Samantha A Brugmann
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, and Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
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26
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Kaucka M, Zikmund T, Tesarova M, Gyllborg D, Hellander A, Jaros J, Kaiser J, Petersen J, Szarowska B, Newton PT, Dyachuk V, Li L, Qian H, Johansson AS, Mishina Y, Currie JD, Tanaka EM, Erickson A, Dudley A, Brismar H, Southam P, Coen E, Chen M, Weinstein LS, Hampl A, Arenas E, Chagin AS, Fried K, Adameyko I. Oriented clonal cell dynamics enables accurate growth and shaping of vertebrate cartilage. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28414273 PMCID: PMC5417851 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilaginous structures are at the core of embryo growth and shaping before the bone forms. Here we report a novel principle of vertebrate cartilage growth that is based on introducing transversally-oriented clones into pre-existing cartilage. This mechanism of growth uncouples the lateral expansion of curved cartilaginous sheets from the control of cartilage thickness, a process which might be the evolutionary mechanism underlying adaptations of facial shape. In rod-shaped cartilage structures (Meckel, ribs and skeletal elements in developing limbs), the transverse integration of clonal columns determines the well-defined diameter and resulting rod-like morphology. We were able to alter cartilage shape by experimentally manipulating clonal geometries. Using in silico modeling, we discovered that anisotropic proliferation might explain cartilage bending and groove formation at the macro-scale. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25902.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Kaucka
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tomas Zikmund
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marketa Tesarova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Gyllborg
- Unit of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Hellander
- Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Josef Jaros
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Kaiser
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Julian Petersen
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bara Szarowska
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Phillip T Newton
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Lei Li
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hong Qian
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Yuji Mishina
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Joshua D Currie
- Center for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elly M Tanaka
- Center for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alek Erickson
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, United States
| | - Andrew Dudley
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, United States
| | - Hjalmar Brismar
- Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | | | | | - Min Chen
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Lee S Weinstein
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Ales Hampl
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ernest Arenas
- Unit of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrei S Chagin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kaj Fried
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Igor Adameyko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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27
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Evans KM, Waltz B, Tagliacollo V, Chakrabarty P, Albert JS. Why the short face? Developmental disintegration of the neurocranium drives convergent evolution in neotropical electric fishes. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1783-1801. [PMID: 28331588 PMCID: PMC5355199 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Convergent evolution is widely viewed as strong evidence for the influence of natural selection on the origin of phenotypic design. However, the emerging evo‐devo synthesis has highlighted other processes that may bias and direct phenotypic evolution in the presence of environmental and genetic variation. Developmental biases on the production of phenotypic variation may channel the evolution of convergent forms by limiting the range of phenotypes produced during ontogeny. Here, we study the evolution and convergence of brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull shapes among 133 species of Neotropical electric fishes (Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) and identify potential developmental biases on phenotypic evolution. We plot the ontogenetic trajectories of neurocranial phenotypes in 17 species and document developmental modularity between the face and braincase regions of the skull. We recover a significant relationship between developmental covariation and relative skull length and a significant relationship between developmental covariation and ontogenetic disparity. We demonstrate that modularity and integration bias the production of phenotypes along the brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull axis and contribute to multiple, independent evolutionary transformations to highly brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kory M Evans
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
| | - Brandon Waltz
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
| | - Victor Tagliacollo
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins Programa de Pós-graduação Ciências do Ambiente (CIAMB) Palmas Tocantins 77001-090 Brazil
| | | | - James S Albert
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
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28
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Fluctuations in Evolutionary Integration Allow for Big Brains and Disparate Faces. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40431. [PMID: 28091543 PMCID: PMC5238424 DOI: 10.1038/srep40431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In theory, evolutionary modularity allows anatomical structures to respond differently to selective regimes, thus promoting morphological diversification. These differences can then influence the rate and direction of phenotypic evolution among structures. Here we use geometric morphometrics and phenotypic matrix statistics to compare rates of craniofacial evolution and estimate evolvability in the face and braincase modules of a clade of teleost fishes (Gymnotiformes) and a clade of mammals (Carnivora), both of which exhibit substantial craniofacial diversity. We find that the face and braincase regions of both clades display different degrees of integration. We find that the face and braincase evolve at similar rates in Gymnotiformes and the reverse in Carnivora with the braincase evolving twice as fast as the face. Estimates of evolvability and constraints in these modules suggest differential responses to selection arising from fluctuations in phylogenetic integration, thus influencing differential rates of skull-shape evolution in these two clades.
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29
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Bayarsaihan D. Deciphering the Epigenetic Code in Embryonic and Dental Pulp Stem Cells. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2016; 89:539-563. [PMID: 28018144 PMCID: PMC5168831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
A close cooperation between chromatin states, transcriptional modulation, and epigenetic modifications is required for establishing appropriate regulatory circuits underlying self-renewal and differentiation of adult and embryonic stem cells. A growing body of research has established that the epigenome topology provides a structural framework for engaging genes in the non-random chromosomal interactions to orchestrate complex processes such as cell-matrix interactions, cell adhesion and cell migration during lineage commitment. Over the past few years, the functional dissection of the epigenetic landscape has become increasingly important for understanding gene expression dynamics in stem cells naturally found in most tissues. Adult stem cells of the human dental pulp hold great promise for tissue engineering, particularly in the skeletal and tooth regenerative medicine. It is therefore likely that progress towards pulp regeneration will have a substantial impact on the clinical research. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding epigenetic cues that have evolved to regulate the pluripotent differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells and the lineage determination of developing dental pulp progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dashzeveg Bayarsaihan
- Institute for System Genomics and Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
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30
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Domyan ET, Shapiro MD. Pigeonetics takes flight: Evolution, development, and genetics of intraspecific variation. Dev Biol 2016; 427:241-250. [PMID: 27847323 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Intensive artificial selection over thousands of years has produced hundreds of varieties of domestic pigeon. As Charles Darwin observed, the morphological differences among breeds can rise to the magnitude of variation typically observed among different species. Nevertheless, different pigeon varieties are interfertile, thereby enabling forward genetic and genomic approaches to identify genes that underlie derived traits. Building on classical genetic studies of pigeon variation, recent molecular investigations find a spectrum of coding and regulatory alleles controlling derived traits, including plumage color, feather growth polarity, and limb identity. Developmental and genetic analyses of pigeons are revealing the molecular basis of variation in a classic example of extreme intraspecific diversity, and have the potential to nominate genes that control variation among other birds and vertebrates in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T Domyan
- Department of Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, United States.
| | - Michael D Shapiro
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
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31
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Cooper KL, Shapiro MD. Preface to the special issue on evolution and morphological diversity. Dev Dyn 2016; 244:1181-3. [PMID: 26414755 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
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32
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Abstract
Bird beaks are textbook examples of ecological adaptation to diet, but their shapes are also controlled by genetic and developmental histories. To test the effects of these factors on the avian craniofacial skeleton, we conducted morphometric analyses on raptors, a polyphyletic group at the base of the landbird radiation. Despite common perception, we find that the beak is not an independently targeted module for selection. Instead, the beak and skull are highly integrated structures strongly regulated by size, with axes of shape change linked to the actions of recently identified regulatory genes. Together, size and integration account for almost 80% of the shape variation seen between different species to the exclusion of morphological dietary adaptation. Instead, birds of prey use size as a mechanism to modify their feeding ecology. The extent to which shape variation is confined to a few major axes may provide an advantage in that it facilitates rapid morphological evolution via changes in body size, but may also make raptors especially vulnerable when selection pressures act against these axes. The phylogenetic position of raptors suggests that this constraint is prevalent in all landbirds and that breaking the developmental correspondence between beak and braincase may be the key novelty in classic passerine adaptive radiations.
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33
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Adameyko I, Fried K. The Nervous System Orchestrates and Integrates Craniofacial Development: A Review. Front Physiol 2016; 7:49. [PMID: 26924989 PMCID: PMC4759458 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of a head is a dazzlingly complex process: a number of distinct cellular sources including cranial ecto- and endoderm, mesoderm and neural crest contribute to facial and other structures. In the head, an extremely fine-tuned developmental coordination of CNS, peripheral neural components, sensory organs and a musculo-skeletal apparatus occurs, which provides protection and functional integration. The face can to a large extent be considered as an assembly of sensory systems encased and functionally fused with appendages represented by jaws. Here we review how the developing brain, neurogenic placodes and peripheral nerves influence the morphogenesis of surrounding tissues as a part of various general integrative processes in the head. The mechanisms of this impact, as we understand it now, span from the targeted release of the morphogens necessary for shaping to providing a niche for cellular sources required in later development. In this review we also discuss the most recent findings and ideas related to how peripheral nerves and nerve-associated cells contribute to craniofacial development, including teeth, during the post- neural crest period and potentially in regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Adameyko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstitutetStockholm, Sweden; Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center of Brain Research, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Kaj Fried
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden
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34
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Zhu XJ, Liu Y, Yuan X, Wang M, Zhao W, Yang X, Zhang X, Hsu W, Qiu M, Zhang Z, Zhang Z. Ectodermal Wnt controls nasal pit morphogenesis through modulation of the BMP/FGF/JNK signaling axis. Dev Dyn 2016; 245:414-26. [PMID: 26661618 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations of WNT3, WNT5A, WNT9B, and WNT11 genes are associated with orofacial birth defects, including nonsyndromic cleft lip with cleft palate in humans. However, the source of Wnt ligands and their signaling effects on the orofacial morphogenetic process remain elusive. RESULTS Using Foxg1-Cre to impair Wnt secretion through the inactivation of Gpr177/mWls, we investigate the relevant regulation of Wnt production and signaling in nasal-facial development. Ectodermal ablation of Gpr177 leads to severe facial deformities resulting from dramatically reduced cell proliferation and increased cell death due to a combined loss of WNT, FGF and BMP signaling in the developing facial prominence. In the invaginating nasal pit, the Gpr177 disruption also causes a detrimental effect on migration of the olfactory epithelial cells into the mesenchymal region. The blockage of Wnt secretion apparently impairs the olfactory epithelial cells through modulation of JNK signaling. CONCLUSIONS Our study thus suggests the head ectoderm, including the facial ectoderm and the neuroectoderm, as the source of canonical as well as noncanonical Wnt ligands during early development of the nasal-facial prominence. Both β-catenin-dependent and -independent signaling pathways are required for proper development of these morphogenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jing Zhu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yudong Liu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueyan Yuan
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Min Wang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanxin Zhao
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueqin Yang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoyun Zhang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology, James P Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Mengsheng Qiu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Ze Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tulane University Medical center, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Zunyi Zhang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China
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35
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Fish JL. Developmental mechanisms underlying variation in craniofacial disease and evolution. Dev Biol 2015; 415:188-197. [PMID: 26724698 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Craniofacial disease phenotypes exhibit significant variation in penetrance and severity. Although many genetic contributions to phenotypic variation have been identified, genotype-phenotype correlations remain imprecise. Recent work in evolutionary developmental biology has exposed intriguing developmental mechanisms that potentially explain incongruities in genotype-phenotype relationships. This review focuses on two observations from work in comparative and experimental animal model systems that highlight how development structures variation. First, multiple genetic inputs converge on relatively few developmental processes. Investigation of when and how variation in developmental processes occurs may therefore help predict potential genetic interactions and phenotypic outcomes. Second, genetic mutation is typically associated with an increase in phenotypic variance. Several models outlining developmental mechanisms underlying mutational increases in phenotypic variance are discussed using Satb2-mediated variation in jaw size as an example. These data highlight development as a critical mediator of genotype-phenotype correlations. Future research in evolutionary developmental biology focusing on tissue-level processes may help elucidate the "black box" between genotype and phenotype, potentially leading to novel treatment, earlier diagnoses, and better clinical consultations for individuals affected by craniofacial anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Fish
- University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Biological Sciences, 198 Riverside Street, Olsen Hall, Room 619, Lowell, MA 01854, United States.
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36
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Abramyan J, Richman JM. Recent insights into the morphological diversity in the amniote primary and secondary palates. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:1457-68. [PMID: 26293818 PMCID: PMC4715671 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of the upper jaw is a pivotal moment in the embryonic development of amniotes. The upper jaw forms from the fusion of the maxillary, medial nasal, and lateral nasal prominences, resulting in an intact upper lip/beak and nasal cavities; together called the primary palate. This process of fusion requires a balance of proper facial prominence shape and positioning to avoid craniofacial clefting, whilst still accommodating the vast phenotypic diversity of adult amniotes. As such, variation in craniofacial ontogeny is not tolerated beyond certain bounds. For clarity, we discuss primary palatogenesis of amniotes into in two categories, according to whether the nasal and oral cavities remain connected throughout ontogeny or not. The transient separation of these cavities occurs in mammals and crocodilians, while remaining connected in birds, turtles and squamates. In the latter group, the craniofacial prominences fuse around a persistent choanal groove that connects the nasal and oral cavities. Subsequently, all lineages except for turtles, develop a secondary palate that ultimately completely or partially separates oral and nasal cavities. Here, we review the shared, early developmental events and highlight the points at which development diverges in both primary and secondary palate formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Abramyan
- Faculty of Dentistry, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, CANADA
| | - Joy Marion Richman
- Faculty of Dentistry, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, CANADA
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37
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Ealba EL, Jheon AH, Hall J, Curantz C, Butcher KD, Schneider RA. Neural crest-mediated bone resorption is a determinant of species-specific jaw length. Dev Biol 2015; 408:151-63. [PMID: 26449912 PMCID: PMC4698309 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Revised: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Precise control of jaw length during development is crucial for proper form and function. Previously we have shown that in birds, neural crest mesenchyme (NCM) confers species-specific size and shape to the beak by regulating molecular and histological programs for the induction and deposition of cartilage and bone. Here we reveal that a hitherto unrecognized but similarly essential mechanism for establishing jaw length is the ability of NCM to mediate bone resorption. Osteoclasts are considered the predominant cells that resorb bone, although osteocytes have also been shown to participate in this process. In adults, bone resorption is tightly coupled to bone deposition as a means to maintain skeletal homeostasis. Yet, the role and regulation of bone resorption during growth of the embryonic skeleton have remained relatively unexplored. We compare jaw development in short-beaked quail versus long-billed duck and find that quail have substantially higher levels of enzymes expressed by bone-resorbing cells including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), Matrix metalloproteinase 13 (Mmp13), and Mmp9. Then, we transplant NCM destined to form the jaw skeleton from quail to duck and generate chimeras in which osteocytes arise from quail donor NCM and osteoclasts come exclusively from the duck host. Chimeras develop quail-like jaw skeletons coincident with dramatically elevated expression of TRAP, Mmp13, and Mmp9. To test for a link between bone resorption and jaw length, we block resorption using a bisphosphonate, osteoprotegerin protein, or an MMP13 inhibitor, and this significantly lengthens the jaw. Conversely, activating resorption with RANKL protein shortens the jaw. Finally, we find that higher resorption in quail presages their relatively lower adult jaw bone mineral density (BMD) and that BMD is also NCM-mediated. Thus, our experiments suggest that NCM not only controls bone resorption by its own derivatives but also modulates the activity of mesoderm-derived osteoclasts, and in so doing enlists bone resorption as a key patterning mechanism underlying the functional morphology and evolution of the jaw.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Ealba
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Andrew H Jheon
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Jane Hall
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Camille Curantz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Kristin D Butcher
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Richard A Schneider
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
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Common mechanisms in development and disease: BMP signaling in craniofacial development. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2015; 27:129-39. [PMID: 26747371 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2015.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BMP signaling is one of the key pathways regulating craniofacial development. It is involved in the early patterning of the head, the development of cranial neural crest cells, and facial patterning. It regulates development of its mineralized structures, such as cranial bones, maxilla, mandible, palate, and teeth. Targeted mutations in the mouse have been instrumental to delineate the functional involvement of this signaling network in different aspects of craniofacial development. Gene polymorphisms and mutations in BMP pathway genes have been associated with various non-syndromic and syndromic human craniofacial malformations. The identification of intricate cellular interactions and underlying molecular pathways illustrate the importance of local fine-regulation of Bmp signaling to control proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, and stem/progenitor differentiation during craniofacial development. Thus, BMP signaling contributes both to shape and functionality of our facial features. BMP signaling also regulates postnatal craniofacial growth and is associated with dental structures life-long. A more detailed understanding of BMP function in growth, homeostasis, and repair of postnatal craniofacial tissues will contribute to our ability to rationally manipulate this signaling network in the context of tissue engineering.
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Hallgrimsson B, Percival CJ, Green R, Young NM, Mio W, Marcucio R. Morphometrics, 3D Imaging, and Craniofacial Development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2015; 115:561-97. [PMID: 26589938 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2015.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown how volumetric imaging and morphometrics can add significantly to our understanding of morphogenesis, the developmental basis for variation, and the etiology of structural birth defects. On the other hand, the complex questions and diverse imaging data in developmental biology present morphometrics with more complex challenges than applications in virtually any other field. Meeting these challenges is necessary in order to understand the mechanistic basis for variation in complex morphologies. This chapter reviews the methods and theory that enable the application of modern landmark-based morphometrics to developmental biology and craniofacial development, in particular. We discuss the theoretical foundations of morphometrics as applied to development and review the basic approaches to the quantification of morphology. Focusing on geometric morphometrics, we discuss the principal statistical methods for quantifying and comparing morphological variation and covariation structure within and among groups. Finally, we discuss the future directions for morphometrics in developmental biology that will be required for approaches that enable quantitative integration across the genotype-phenotype map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Hallgrimsson
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Christopher J Percival
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rebecca Green
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nathan M Young
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, Orthopaedic Trauma Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Washington Mio
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Ralph Marcucio
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, Orthopaedic Trauma Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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40
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Abstract
Molecular and cellular mechanisms that control jaw length are becoming better understood. This is significant since the jaws are not only critical for species-specific adaptation and survival, but they are often affected by a variety of size-related anomalies including mandibular hypoplasia, retrognathia, asymmetry, and clefting. This chapter overviews how jaw length is established during the allocation, proliferation, differentiation, and growth of jaw precursor cells, which originate from neural crest mesenchyme (NCM). The focus is mainly on results from experiments transplanting NCM between quail and duck embryos. Quail have short jaws whereas those of duck are relatively long. Quail-duck chimeras reveal that the determinants of jaw length are NCM mediated throughout development and include species-specific differences in jaw progenitor number, differential regulation of various signaling pathways, and the autonomous activation of programs for skeletal matrix deposition and resorption. Such insights help make the goal of devising new therapies for birth defects, diseases, and injuries to the jaw skeleton seem ever more likely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Schneider
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
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41
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Facial Morphogenesis: Physical and Molecular Interactions Between the Brain and the Face. Curr Top Dev Biol 2015; 115:299-320. [PMID: 26589930 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Morphogenesis of the brain and face is intrinsically linked by a number of factors. These include: origins of tissues, adjacency allowing their physical interactions, and molecular cross talk controlling growth. Neural crest cells that form the facial primordia originate on the dorsal neural tube. In the caudal pharyngeal arches, a Homeobox code regulates arch identity. In anterior regions, positional information is acquired locally. Second, the brain is a structural platform that influences positioning of the facial primordia, and brain growth influences the timing of primordia fusion. Third, the brain helps induce a signaling center, the frontonasal ectodermal zone, in the ectoderm, which participates in patterned growth of the upper jaw. Similarly, signals from neural crest cells regulate expression of fibroblast growth factor 8 in the anterior neural ridge, which controls growth of the anterior forebrain. Disruptions to these interactions have significant consequences for normal development of the craniofacial complex, leading to structural malformations and birth defects.
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42
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Martínez-Abadías N, Mateu R, Niksic M, Russo L, Sharpe J. Geometric Morphometrics on Gene Expression Patterns Within Phenotypes: A Case Example on Limb Development. Syst Biol 2015; 65:194-211. [PMID: 26377442 PMCID: PMC4748747 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syv067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
How the genotype translates into the phenotype through development is critical to fully understand the evolution of phenotypes. We propose a novel approach to directly assess how changes in gene expression patterns are associated with changes in morphology using the limb as a case example. Our method combines molecular biology techniques, such as whole-mount in situ hybridization, with image and shape analysis, extending the use of Geometric Morphometrics to the analysis of nonanatomical shapes, such as gene expression domains. Elliptical Fourier and Procrustes-based semilandmark analyses were used to analyze the variation and covariation patterns of the limb bud shape with the expression patterns of two relevant genes for limb morphogenesis, Hoxa11 and Hoxa13. We devised a multiple thresholding method to semiautomatically segment gene domains at several expression levels in large samples of limb buds from C57Bl6 mouse embryos between 10 and 12 postfertilization days. Besides providing an accurate phenotyping tool to quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of gene expression patterns within developing structures, our morphometric analyses revealed high, non-random, and gene-specific variation undergoing canalization during limb development. Our results demonstrate that Hoxa11 and Hoxa13, despite being paralogs with analogous functions in limb patterning, show clearly distinct dynamic patterns, both in shape and size, and are associated differently with the limb bud shape. The correspondence between our results and already well-established molecular processes underlying limb development confirms that this morphometric approach is a powerful tool to extract features of development regulating morphogenesis. Such multilevel analyses are promising in systems where not so much molecular information is available and will advance our understanding of the genotype–phenotype map. In systematics, this knowledge will increase our ability to infer how evolution modified a common developmental pattern to generate a wide diversity of morphologies, as in the vertebrate limb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Martínez-Abadías
- EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Mateu
- EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martina Niksic
- EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucia Russo
- EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - James Sharpe
- EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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43
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Correlations Between the Morphology of Sonic Hedgehog Expression Domains and Embryonic Craniofacial Shape. Evol Biol 2015; 42:379-386. [PMID: 26321772 DOI: 10.1007/s11692-015-9321-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative analysis of gene expression domains and investigation of relationships between gene expression and developmental and phenotypic outcomes are central to advancing our understanding of the genotype-phenotype map. Gene expression domains typically have smooth but irregular shapes lacking homologous landmarks, making it difficult to analyze shape variation with the tools of landmark-based geometric morphometrics. In addition, 3D image acquisition and processing introduce many artifacts that further exacerbate the problem. To overcome these difficulties, this paper presents a method that combines optical projection tomography scanning, a shape regularization technique and a landmark-free approach to quantify variation in the morphology of Sonic hedgehog expression domains in the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ) of avians and investigate relationships with embryonic craniofacial shape. The model reveals axes in FEZ and embryonic-head morphospaces along which variation exhibits a sharp linear relationship at high statistical significance. The technique should be applicable to analyses of other 3D biological structures that can be modeled as smooth surfaces and have ill-defined shape.
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