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Nagy N, Kovacs T, Stavely R, Halasy V, Soos A, Szocs E, Hotta R, Graham H, Goldstein AM. Avian ceca are indispensable for hindgut enteric nervous system development. Development 2021; 148:dev199825. [PMID: 34792104 PMCID: PMC8645208 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS), which is derived from enteric neural crest cells (ENCCs), represents the neuronal innervation of the intestine. Compromised ENCC migration can lead to Hirschsprung disease, which is characterized by an aganglionic distal bowel. During the craniocaudal migration of ENCCs along the gut, we find that their proliferation is greatest as the ENCC wavefront passes through the ceca, a pair of pouches at the midgut-hindgut junction in avian intestine. Removal of the ceca leads to hindgut aganglionosis, suggesting that they are required for ENS development. Comparative transcriptome profiling of the cecal buds compared with the interceca region shows that the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway is preferentially expressed within the ceca. Specifically, WNT11 is highly expressed, as confirmed by RNA in situ hybridization, leading us to hypothesize that cecal expression of WNT11 is important for ENCC colonization of the hindgut. Organ cultures using embryonic day 6 avian intestine show that WNT11 inhibits enteric neuronal differentiation. These results reveal an essential role for the ceca during hindgut ENS formation and highlight an important function for non-canonical Wnt signaling in regulating ENCC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Nagy
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Tamas Kovacs
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Rhian Stavely
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114,USA
| | - Viktoria Halasy
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Adam Soos
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Emoke Szocs
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114,USA
| | - Hannah Graham
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114,USA
| | - Allan M. Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114,USA
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2
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Tang W, Bronner ME. Neural crest lineage analysis: from past to future trajectory. Development 2020; 147:147/20/dev193193. [PMID: 33097550 DOI: 10.1242/dev.193193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since its discovery 150 years ago, the neural crest has intrigued investigators owing to its remarkable developmental potential and extensive migratory ability. Cell lineage analysis has been an essential tool for exploring neural crest cell fate and migration routes. By marking progenitor cells, one can observe their subsequent locations and the cell types into which they differentiate. Here, we review major discoveries in neural crest lineage tracing from a historical perspective. We discuss how advancing technologies have refined lineage-tracing studies, and how clonal analysis can be applied to questions regarding multipotency. We also highlight how effective progenitor cell tracing, when combined with recently developed molecular and imaging tools, such as single-cell transcriptomics, single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization and high-resolution imaging, can extend the scope of neural crest lineage studies beyond development to regeneration and cancer initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Tang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Marianne E Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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3
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Nagy N, Barad C, Hotta R, Bhave S, Arciero E, Dora D, Goldstein AM. Collagen 18 and agrin are secreted by neural crest cells to remodel their microenvironment and regulate their migration during enteric nervous system development. Development 2018; 145:dev.160317. [PMID: 29678817 DOI: 10.1242/dev.160317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) arises from neural crest cells that migrate, proliferate, and differentiate into enteric neurons and glia within the intestinal wall. Many extracellular matrix (ECM) components are present in the embryonic gut, but their role in regulating ENS development is largely unknown. Here, we identify heparan sulfate proteoglycan proteins, including collagen XVIII (Col18) and agrin, as important regulators of enteric neural crest-derived cell (ENCDC) development. In developing avian hindgut, Col18 is expressed at the ENCDC wavefront, while agrin expression occurs later. Both proteins are normally present around enteric ganglia, but are absent in aganglionic gut. Using chick-mouse intestinal chimeras and enteric neurospheres, we show that vagal- and sacral-derived ENCDCs from both species secrete Col18 and agrin. Whereas glia express Col18 and agrin, enteric neurons only express the latter. Functional studies demonstrate that Col18 is permissive whereas agrin is strongly inhibitory to ENCDC migration, consistent with the timing of their expression during ENS development. We conclude that ENCDCs govern their own migration by actively remodeling their microenvironment through secretion of ECM proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Nagy
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094 Hungary
| | - Csilla Barad
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094 Hungary
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sukhada Bhave
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Emily Arciero
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David Dora
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094 Hungary
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Dóra D, Fejszák N, Goldstein AM, Minkó K, Nagy N. Ontogeny of ramified CD45 cells in chicken embryo and their contribution to bursal secretory dendritic cells. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 368:353-370. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2595-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Nagy N, Goldstein AM. Enteric nervous system development: A crest cell's journey from neural tube to colon. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 66:94-106. [PMID: 28087321 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is comprised of a network of neurons and glial cells that are responsible for coordinating many aspects of gastrointestinal (GI) function. These cells arise from the neural crest, migrate to the gut, and then continue their journey to colonize the entire length of the GI tract. Our understanding of the molecular and cellular events that regulate these processes has advanced significantly over the past several decades, in large part facilitated by the use of rodents, avians, and zebrafish as model systems to dissect the signals and pathways involved. These studies have highlighted the highly dynamic nature of ENS development and the importance of carefully balancing migration, proliferation, and differentiation of enteric neural crest-derived cells (ENCCs). Proliferation, in particular, is critically important as it drives cell density and speed of migration, both of which are important for ensuring complete colonization of the gut. However, proliferation must be tempered by differentiation among cells that have reached their final destination and are ready to send axonal extensions, connect to effector cells, and begin to produce neurotransmitters or other signals. Abnormalities in the normal processes guiding ENCC development can lead to failure of ENS formation, as occurs in Hirschsprung disease, in which the distal intestine remains aganglionic. This review summarizes our current understanding of the factors involved in early development of the ENS and discusses areas in need of further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Nagy
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Center for Neurointestinal Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Center for Neurointestinal Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
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6
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Heanue TA, Shepherd IT, Burns AJ. Enteric nervous system development in avian and zebrafish models. Dev Biol 2016; 417:129-38. [PMID: 27235814 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Our current understanding of the developmental biology of the enteric nervous system (ENS) and the genesis of ENS diseases is founded almost entirely on studies using model systems. Although genetic studies in the mouse have been at the forefront of this field over the last 20 years or so, historically it was the easy accessibility of the chick embryo for experimental manipulations that allowed the first descriptions of the neural crest origins of the ENS in the 1950s. More recently, studies in the chick and other non-mammalian model systems, notably zebrafish, have continued to advance our understanding of the basic biology of ENS development, with each animal model providing unique experimental advantages. Here we review the basic biology of ENS development in chick and zebrafish, highlighting conserved and unique features, and emphasising novel contributions to our general understanding of ENS development due to technical or biological features.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan J Burns
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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7
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Burns AJ, Goldstein AM, Newgreen DF, Stamp L, Schäfer KH, Metzger M, Hotta R, Young HM, Andrews PW, Thapar N, Belkind-Gerson J, Bondurand N, Bornstein JC, Chan WY, Cheah K, Gershon MD, Heuckeroth RO, Hofstra RMW, Just L, Kapur RP, King SK, McCann CJ, Nagy N, Ngan E, Obermayr F, Pachnis V, Pasricha PJ, Sham MH, Tam P, Vanden Berghe P. White paper on guidelines concerning enteric nervous system stem cell therapy for enteric neuropathies. Dev Biol 2016; 417:229-51. [PMID: 27059883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, there has been increasing focus on the development of novel stem cell based therapies for the treatment of disorders and diseases affecting the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the gastrointestinal tract (so-called enteric neuropathies). Here, the idea is that ENS progenitor/stem cells could be transplanted into the gut wall to replace the damaged or absent neurons and glia of the ENS. This White Paper sets out experts' views on the commonly used methods and approaches to identify, isolate, purify, expand and optimize ENS stem cells, transplant them into the bowel, and assess transplant success, including restoration of gut function. We also highlight obstacles that must be overcome in order to progress from successful preclinical studies in animal models to ENS stem cell therapies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Burns
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald F Newgreen
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lincon Stamp
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Karl-Herbert Schäfer
- University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserlautern, Germany; Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marco Metzger
- Fraunhofer-Institute Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB Translational Centre - Würzburg branch and University Hospital Würzburg - Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heather M Young
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Peter W Andrews
- Centre for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nikhil Thapar
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jaime Belkind-Gerson
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Nadege Bondurand
- INSERM U955, 51 Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, F-94000 Créteil, France; Université Paris-Est, UPEC, F-94000 Créteil, France
| | - Joel C Bornstein
- Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Wood Yee Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kathryn Cheah
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Michael D Gershon
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York 10032, USA
| | - Robert O Heuckeroth
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Research Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert M W Hofstra
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lothar Just
- Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Raj P Kapur
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sebastian K King
- Department of Paediatric and Neonatal Surgery, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Conor J McCann
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Nandor Nagy
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Elly Ngan
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Florian Obermayr
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Mai Har Sham
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Paul Tam
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Pieter Vanden Berghe
- Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience (LENS), TARGID, University of Leuven, Belgium
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Nagy N, Barad C, Graham HK, Hotta R, Cheng LS, Fejszak N, Goldstein AM. Sonic hedgehog controls enteric nervous system development by patterning the extracellular matrix. Development 2015; 143:264-75. [PMID: 26674309 DOI: 10.1242/dev.128132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) develops from neural crest cells that migrate along the intestine, differentiate into neurons and glia, and pattern into two plexuses within the gut wall. Inductive interactions between epithelium and mesenchyme regulate gut development, but the influence of these interactions on ENS development is unknown. Epithelial-mesenchymal recombinations were constructed using avian hindgut mesenchyme and non-intestinal epithelium from the bursa of Fabricius. These recombinations led to abnormally large and ectopically positioned ganglia. We hypothesized that sonic hedgehog (Shh), a secreted intestinal epithelial protein not expressed in the bursa, mediates this effect. Inhibition of Shh signaling, by addition of cyclopamine or a function-blocking antibody, resulted in large, ectopic ganglia adjacent to the epithelium. Shh overexpression, achieved in ovo using Shh-encoding retrovirus and in organ culture using recombinant protein, led to intestinal aganglionosis. Shh strongly induced the expression of versican and collagen type IX, whereas cyclopamine reduced expression of these chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans that are known to be inhibitory to neural crest cell migration. Shh also inhibited enteric neural crest-derived cell (ENCC) proliferation, promoted neuronal differentiation, and reduced expression of Gdnf, a key regulator of ENS formation. Ptc1 and Ptc2 were not expressed by ENCCs, and migration of isolated ENCCs was not inhibited by Shh protein. These results suggest that epithelial-derived Shh acts indirectly on the developing ENS by regulating the composition of the intestinal microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Nagy
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest 1094, Hungary
| | - Csilla Barad
- Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest 1094, Hungary
| | - Hannah K Graham
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lily S Cheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Nora Fejszak
- Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest 1094, Hungary
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Akbareian SE, Nagy N, Steiger CE, Mably JD, Miller SA, Hotta R, Molnar D, Goldstein AM. Enteric neural crest-derived cells promote their migration by modifying their microenvironment through tenascin-C production. Dev Biol 2013; 382:446-56. [PMID: 23958436 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2013] [Revised: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is derived from vagal and sacral neural crest cells that migrate, proliferate, and differentiate into enteric neurons and glia within the gut wall. The mechanisms regulating enteric neural crest-derived cell (ENCC) migration are poorly characterized despite the importance of this process in gut formation and function. Characterization of genes involved in ENCC migration is essential to understand ENS development and could provide targets for treatment of human ENS disorders. We identified the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-C (TNC) as an important regulator of ENCC development. We find TNC dynamically expressed during avian gut development. It is absent from the cecal region just prior to ENCC arrival, but becomes strongly expressed around ENCCs as they enter the ceca and hindgut. In aganglionic hindguts, TNC expression is strong throughout the outer mesenchyme, but is absent from the submucosal region, supporting the presence of both ENCC-dependent and independent expression within the gut wall. Using rat-chick coelomic grafts, neural tube cultures, and gut explants, we show that ENCCs produce TNC and that this ECM protein promotes their migration. Interestingly, only vagal neural crest-derived ENCCs express TNC, whereas sacral neural crest-derived cells do not. These results demonstrate that vagal crest-derived ENCCs actively modify their microenvironment through TNC expression and thereby help to regulate their own migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia E Akbareian
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Warren 1153, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Abstract
The avian embryo has been an important model system for studying enteric nervous system (ENS) development for over 50 y. Since the initial demonstration in chick embryos that the ENS is derived from the neural crest, investigators have used the avian model to reveal the cellular origins and migratory pathways of enteric neural crest-derived cells, with more recent work focusing on the molecular mechanisms regulating ENS development. Seminal contributions have been made in this field by researchers who have taken advantage of the strengths of the avian model system. These strengths include in vivo accessibility throughout development, ability to generate quail-chick chimeras, and the capacity to modulate gene expression in vivo in a spatially and temporally targeted manner. The recent availability of the chicken genome further enhances this model system, allowing investigators to combine classic embryologic methods with current genetic techniques. The strengths and versatility of the avian embryo continue to make it a valuable experimental system for studying the development of the ENS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Pediatric Intestinal Rehabilitation Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
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Nagy N, Brewer KC, Mwizerwa O, Goldstein AM. Pelvic plexus contributes ganglion cells to the hindgut enteric nervous system. Dev Dyn 2007; 236:73-83. [PMID: 16937371 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.20933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The hindgut enteric nervous system (ENS) contains cells originating from vagal and sacral neural crest. In avians, the sacral crest gives rise to the nerve of Remak (NoR) and pelvic plexus. Whereas the NoR has been suggested to serve as the source of sacral crest-derived cells to the gut, the contribution of the pelvic ganglia is unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the pelvic ganglia contribute ganglion cells to the hindgut ENS. We observed that the quail pelvic plexus develops from neural crest-derived cells that aggregate around the cloaca at embryonic day 5. Using chick-quail tissue recombinations, we found that hindgut grafts did not contain enteric ganglia unless the pelvic plexus was included. Neurofibers extended from the NoR into the intestine, but no ganglion cell contribution from the NoR was identified. These results demonstrate that the pelvic plexus, and not the NoR, serves as the staging area for sacral crest-derived cells to enter the avian hindgut, confirming the evolutionary conservation of this important embryologic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Nagy
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
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