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Koch D, Nandan A, Ramesan G, Koseska A. Biological computations: Limitations of attractor-based formalisms and the need for transients. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 720:150069. [PMID: 38754165 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Living systems, from single cells to higher vertebrates, receive a continuous stream of non-stationary inputs that they sense, for e.g. via cell surface receptors or sensory organs. By integrating these time-varying, multi-sensory, and often noisy information with memory using complex molecular or neuronal networks, they generate a variety of responses beyond simple stimulus-response association, including avoidance behavior, life-long-learning or social interactions. In a broad sense, these processes can be understood as a type of biological computation. Taking as a basis generic features of biological computations, such as real-time responsiveness or robustness and flexibility of the computation, we highlight the limitations of the current attractor-based framework for understanding computations in biological systems. We argue that frameworks based on transient dynamics away from attractors are better suited for the description of computations performed by neuronal and signaling networks. In particular, we discuss how quasi-stable transient dynamics from ghost states that emerge at criticality have a promising potential for developing an integrated framework of computations, that can help us understand how living system actively process information and learn from their continuously changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Koch
- Lise Meitner Group Cellular Computations and Learning, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behaviour - Caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Akhilesh Nandan
- Lise Meitner Group Cellular Computations and Learning, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behaviour - Caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gayathri Ramesan
- Lise Meitner Group Cellular Computations and Learning, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behaviour - Caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Aneta Koseska
- Lise Meitner Group Cellular Computations and Learning, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behaviour - Caesar, Bonn, Germany.
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2
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Mouri T, Usa S, Tokumoto T. Pax7 is involved in leucophore formation in goldfish and gene knockout improves the transparency of transparent goldfish. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024:10.1007/s10695-024-01364-z. [PMID: 38819758 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-024-01364-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Lines with few or no pigment cells have been established in fishes, and these lines are useful for bioimaging. The transparent goldfish (tra) line previously established by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis is also suitable for such experiments. However, in the case of tra, leucophores form in the adult fish, making it difficult to observe the organs inside body from outside the body. In this study, we attempted to create a knockout line of the pax7a and pax7b genes, which are thought to be involved in the formation of leucophores, to further improve the transparency of tra strain.Mutations were introduced by microinjection of the CRISPR/Cas9 mixture into single-cell embryos, mutant individuals were found in F0, and the next generation was generated to confirm the mutation patterns. As a result, multiple mutation patterns, including knockout, were obtained. The same pattern of knockout F1 with pax7a and pax7b mutations was crossed to generate a homozygous knockout in F2.In the resulting pax7b-/- (tra) fish but not in pax7a-/- (tra) fish, the number of leucophores was reduced compared to that in tra, and the transparency of the body was improved. It was suggested that pax7b plays an important role in leucophore formation in goldfish. The established transparent pax7b-/- (tra) goldfish line will be a useful model for bioimaging of the body interior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Mouri
- Department of Bioscience, Graduate School of Science and Technology, National University Corporation Shizuoka University, Ohya 836, Suruga-Ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
- Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, National University Corporation Shizuoka University, Ohya 836, Suruga-Ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Syunsuke Usa
- Biological Science Course, Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, National University Corporation Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, 422, Japan
- Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, National University Corporation Shizuoka University, Ohya 836, Suruga-Ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Toshinobu Tokumoto
- Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, National University Corporation Shizuoka University, Ohya 836, Suruga-Ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan.
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3
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Tzika AC. On the role of TFEC in reptilian coloration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1358828. [PMID: 38385026 PMCID: PMC10879265 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1358828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Reptilian species, particularly snakes and lizards, are emerging models of animal coloration. Here, I focus on the role of the TFEC transcription factor in snake and lizard coloration based on a study on wild-type and piebald ball pythons. Genomic mapping previously identified a TFEC mutation linked to the piebald ball python phenotype. The association of TFEC with skin coloration was further supported by gene-editing experiments in the brown anole lizard. However, novel histological analyses presented here reveal discrepancies between the ball python and the anole TFEC mutants phenotype, cautioning against broad generalizations. Indeed, both wild-type and piebald ball pythons completely lack iridophores, whereas the TFEC anole lizard mutants lose their iridophores compared to the wild-type anole. Based on these findings, I discuss the potential role of the MiT/TFE family in skin pigmentation across vertebrate lineages and advocate the need for developmental analyses and additional gene-editing experiments to explore the reptilian coloration diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasia C. Tzika
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution (LANE), Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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4
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Kelsh RN. Myron Gordon Award Lecture 2023: Painting the neural crest: How studying pigment cells illuminates neural crest cell biology. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2023. [PMID: 38010612 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
It has been 30 (!!) years since I began working on zebrafish pigment cells, as a postdoc in the laboratory of Prof. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard. There, I participated in the first large-scale mutagenesis screen in zebrafish, focusing on pigment cell mutant phenotypes. The isolation of colourless, shady, parade and choker mutants allowed us (as a postdoc in Prof. Judith Eisen's laboratory, and then in my own laboratory at the University of Bath since 1997) to pursue my ambition to address long-standing problems in the neural crest field. Thus, we have studied how neural crest cells choose individual fates, resulting in our recent proposal of a new, and potentially unifying, model which we call Cyclical Fate Restriction, as well as addressing how pigment cell patterns are generated. A key feature of our work in the last 10 years has been the use of mathematical modelling approaches to clarify our biological models and to refine our interpretations. None of this would have been possible without a hugely talented group of laboratory members and other collaborators from around the world-it has been, and I am sure will continue to be, a pleasure and privilege to work with you all!
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N Kelsh
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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5
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Smeriglio P, Zalc A. Cranial Neural Crest Cells Contribution to Craniofacial Bone Development and Regeneration. Curr Osteoporos Rep 2023; 21:624-631. [PMID: 37421571 DOI: 10.1007/s11914-023-00804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to summarize (i) the latest evidence on cranial neural crest cells (CNCC) contribution to craniofacial development and ossification; (ii) the recent discoveries on the mechanisms responsible for their plasticity; and (iii) the newest procedures to ameliorate maxillofacial tissue repair. RECENT FINDINGS CNCC display a remarkable differentiation potential that exceeds the capacity of their germ layer of origin. The mechanisms by which they expand their plasticity was recently described. Their ability to participate to craniofacial bone development and regeneration open new perspectives for treatments of traumatic craniofacial injuries or congenital syndromes. These conditions can be life-threatening, require invasive maxillofacial surgery and can leave deep sequels on our health or quality of life. With accumulating evidence showing how CNCC-derived stem cells potential can ameliorate craniofacial reconstruction and tissue repair, we believe a deeper understanding of the mechanisms regulating CNCC plasticity is essential to ameliorate endogenous regeneration and improve tissue repair therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piera Smeriglio
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Institut de Myologie, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Antoine Zalc
- Institut Cochin, CNRS, INSERM, Université Paris Cité, 75014, Paris, France.
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6
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Miyadai M, Takada H, Shiraishi A, Kimura T, Watakabe I, Kobayashi H, Nagao Y, Naruse K, Higashijima SI, Shimizu T, Kelsh RN, Hibi M, Hashimoto H. A gene regulatory network combining Pax3/7, Sox10 and Mitf generates diverse pigment cell types in medaka and zebrafish. Development 2023; 150:dev202114. [PMID: 37823232 PMCID: PMC10617610 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202114] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Neural crest cells generate numerous derivatives, including pigment cells, and are a model for studying how fate specification from multipotent progenitors is controlled. In mammals, the core gene regulatory network for melanocytes (their only pigment cell type) contains three transcription factors, Sox10, Pax3 and Mitf, with the latter considered a master regulator of melanocyte development. In teleosts, which have three to four pigment cell types (melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, plus leucophores e.g. in medaka), gene regulatory networks governing fate specification are poorly understood, although Mitf function is considered conserved. Here, we show that the regulatory relationships between Sox10, Pax3 and Mitf are conserved in zebrafish, but the role for Mitf is more complex than previously emphasized, affecting xanthophore development too. Similarly, medaka Mitf is necessary for melanophore, xanthophore and leucophore formation. Furthermore, expression patterns and mutant phenotypes of pax3 and pax7 suggest that Pax3 and Pax7 act sequentially, activating mitf expression. Pax7 modulates Mitf function, driving co-expressing cells to differentiate as xanthophores and leucophores rather than melanophores. We propose that pigment cell fate specification should be considered to result from the combinatorial activity of Mitf with other transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motohiro Miyadai
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takada
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Akiko Shiraishi
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Tetsuaki Kimura
- Laboratory of Bioresources, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Ikuko Watakabe
- National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hikaru Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yusuke Nagao
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Naruse
- Laboratory of Bioresources, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Higashijima
- National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Takashi Shimizu
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Masahiko Hibi
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Hisashi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Biological Science, Division of Natural Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
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7
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Selleri L, Rijli FM. Shaping faces: genetic and epigenetic control of craniofacial morphogenesis. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:610-626. [PMID: 37095271 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00594-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Major differences in facial morphology distinguish vertebrate species. Variation of facial traits underlies the uniqueness of human individuals, and abnormal craniofacial morphogenesis during development leads to birth defects that significantly affect quality of life. Studies during the past 40 years have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that establish facial form during development, highlighting the crucial roles in this process of a multipotent cell type known as the cranial neural crest cell. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in multi-omics and single-cell technologies that enable genes, transcriptional regulatory networks and epigenetic landscapes to be closely linked to the establishment of facial patterning and its variation, with an emphasis on normal and abnormal craniofacial morphogenesis. Advancing our knowledge of these processes will support important developments in tissue engineering, as well as the repair and reconstruction of the abnormal craniofacial complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Licia Selleri
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, Department of Orofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Filippo M Rijli
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroepigenetics, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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8
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Kabangu M, Cecil R, Strohl L, Timoshevskaya N, Smith JJ, Voss SR. Leukocyte Tyrosine Kinase ( Ltk) Is the Mendelian Determinant of the Axolotl Melanoid Color Variant. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:904. [PMID: 37107662 PMCID: PMC10137446 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040904] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The great diversity of color patterns observed among amphibians is largely explained by the differentiation of relatively few pigment cell types during development. Mexican axolotls present a variety of color phenotypes that span the continuum from leucistic to highly melanistic. The melanoid axolotl is a Mendelian variant characterized by large numbers of melanophores, proportionally fewer xanthophores, and no iridophores. Early studies of melanoid were influential in developing the single-origin hypothesis of pigment cell development, wherein it has been proposed that all three pigment cell types derive from a common progenitor cell, with pigment metabolites playing potential roles in directing the development of organelles that define different pigment cell types. Specifically, these studies identified xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) activity as a mechanism for the permissive differentiation of melanophores at the expense of xanthophores and iridophores. We used bulked segregant RNA-Seq to screen the axolotl genome for melanoid candidate genes and identify the associated locus. Dissimilar frequencies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified between pooled RNA samples of wild-type and melanoid siblings for a region on chromosome 14q. This region contains gephyrin (Gphn), an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of the molybdenum cofactor that is required for XDH activity, and leukocyte tyrosine kinase (Ltk), a cell surface signaling receptor that is required for iridophore differentiation in zebrafish. Wild-type Ltk crispants present similar pigment phenotypes to melanoid, strongly implicating Ltk as the melanoid locus. In concert with recent findings in zebrafish, our results support the idea of direct fate specification of pigment cells and, more generally, the single-origin hypothesis of pigment cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirindi Kabangu
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Raissa Cecil
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | | | | | - Jeramiah J. Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Stephen R. Voss
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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9
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Subkhankulova T, Camargo Sosa K, Uroshlev LA, Nikaido M, Shriever N, Kasianov AS, Yang X, Rodrigues FSLM, Carney TJ, Bavister G, Schwetlick H, Dawes JHP, Rocco A, Makeev VJ, Kelsh RN. Zebrafish pigment cells develop directly from persistent highly multipotent progenitors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1258. [PMID: 36878908 PMCID: PMC9988989 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36876-4] [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: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural crest cells are highly multipotent stem cells, but it remains unclear how their fate restriction to specific fates occurs. The direct fate restriction model hypothesises that migrating cells maintain full multipotency, whilst progressive fate restriction envisages fully multipotent cells transitioning to partially-restricted intermediates before committing to individual fates. Using zebrafish pigment cell development as a model, we show applying NanoString hybridization single cell transcriptional profiling and RNAscope in situ hybridization that neural crest cells retain broad multipotency throughout migration and even in post-migratory cells in vivo, with no evidence for partially-restricted intermediates. We find that leukocyte tyrosine kinase early expression marks a multipotent stage, with signalling driving iridophore differentiation through repression of fate-specific transcription factors for other fates. We reconcile the direct and progressive fate restriction models by proposing that pigment cell development occurs directly, but dynamically, from a highly multipotent state, consistent with our recently-proposed Cyclical Fate Restriction model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Camargo Sosa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Leonid A Uroshlev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Masataka Nikaido
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Ako-gun, Hyogo Pref., 678-1297, Japan
| | - Noah Shriever
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Artem S Kasianov
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Department of Medical and Biological Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems (IITP), Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, build.1, Moscow, 127051, Russia
| | - Xueyan Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | | | - Thomas J Carney
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Experimental Medicine Building, Yunnan Garden Campus, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Yunnan Garden, 636921, Singapore
| | - Gemma Bavister
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Hartmut Schwetlick
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Jonathan H P Dawes
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Andrea Rocco
- Department of Microbial Sciences, FHMS, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, Guildford, UK
- Department of Physics, FEPS, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, Guildford, UK
| | - Vsevolod J Makeev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Department of Medical and Biological Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia
- Laboratory 'Regulatory Genomics', Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya street, Kazan, 420008, Russia
| | - Robert N Kelsh
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
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10
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Candido-Ferreira IL, Lukoseviciute M, Sauka-Spengler T. Multi-layered transcriptional control of cranial neural crest development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 138:1-14. [PMID: 35941042 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.07.010] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is an emblematic population of embryonic stem-like cells with remarkable migratory ability. These distinctive attributes have inspired the curiosity of developmental biologists for over 150 years, however only recently the regulatory mechanisms controlling the complex features of the NC have started to become elucidated at genomic scales. Regulatory control of NC development is achieved through combinatorial transcription factor binding and recruitment of associated transcriptional complexes to distal cis-regulatory elements. Together, they regulate when, where and to what extent transcriptional programmes are actively deployed, ultimately shaping ontogenetic processes. Here, we discuss how transcriptional networks control NC ontogeny, with a special emphasis on the molecular mechanisms underlying specification of the cephalic NC. We also cover emerging properties of transcriptional regulation revealed in diverse developmental systems, such as the role of three-dimensional conformation of chromatin, and how they are involved in the regulation of NC ontogeny. Finally, we highlight how advances in deciphering the NC transcriptional network have afforded new insights into the molecular basis of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan L Candido-Ferreira
- University of Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Martyna Lukoseviciute
- University of Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Tatjana Sauka-Spengler
- University of Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
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11
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Alhashem Z, Camargo-Sosa K, Kelsh RN, Linker C. Trunk Neural Crest Migratory Position and Asymmetric Division Predict Terminal Differentiation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:887393. [PMID: 35756992 PMCID: PMC9214262 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.887393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation of complex structures during embryogenesis requires the controlled migration and differentiation of cells from distant origins. How these processes are coordinated and impact each other to form functional structures is not fully understood. Neural crest cells migrate extensively giving rise to many cell types. In the trunk, neural crest cells migrate collectively forming chains comprised of cells with distinct migratory identities: one leader cell at the front of the group directs migration, while followers track the leader forming the body of the chain. Herein we analysed the relationship between trunk neural crest migratory identity and terminal differentiation. We found that trunk neural crest migration and fate allocation is coherent. Leader cells that initiate movement give rise to the most distal derivativities. Interestingly, the asymmetric division of leaders separates migratory identity and fate. The distal daughter cell retains the leader identity and clonally forms the Sympathetic Ganglia. The proximal sibling migrates as a follower and gives rise to Schwann cells. The sympathetic neuron transcription factor phox2bb is strongly expressed by leaders from early stages of migration, suggesting that specification and migration occur concomitantly and in coordination. Followers divide symmetrically and their fate correlates with their position in the chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zain Alhashem
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Camargo-Sosa
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Robert N Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Linker
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Cellular plasticity in the neural crest and cancer. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2022; 75:101928. [PMID: 35749971 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.101928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, neural crest cells (NCCs) are a multipotent embryonic population generating both neural/neuronal and mesenchymal derivatives, and thus the neural crest (NC) is often referred to as the fourth germ layer. NC development is a dynamic process, where NCCs possess substantial plasticity in transcriptional and epigenomic profiles. Recent technical advances in single-cell and low-input sequencing have empowered fine-resolution characterisation of NC development. In this review, we summarise the latest models underlying NC-plasticity acquirement and cell-fate restriction, outline the connections between NC plasticity and NC-derived cancer and envision the new opportunities in studying NC plasticity and its link to cancer.
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13
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Urbán N. Could a Different View of Quiescence Help Us Understand How Neurogenesis Is Regulated? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:878875. [PMID: 35431774 PMCID: PMC9008321 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.878875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) are in a distinct metabolic state of reversible cell cycle exit also known as quiescence. The rate of aNSC activation determines the number of new neurons generated and directly influences the long-term maintenance of neurogenesis. Despite its relevance, it is still unclear how aNSC quiescence is regulated. Many factors contribute to this, like aNSC heterogeneity, the lack of reliable quiescence markers, the complexity of the neurogenic niches or the intricacy of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms involved. In this perspective article I discuss possible solutions to these problems. But, first and foremost, I believe we require a model that goes beyond a simple transition toward activation. Instead, we must acknowledge the full complexity of aNSC states, which include not only activation but also differentiation and survival as behavioural outcomes. I propose a model where aNSCs dynamically transition through a cloud of highly interlinked cellular states driven by intrinsic and extrinsic cues. I also show how a new perspective enables us to integrate current results into a coherent framework leading to the formulation of new testable hypothesis. This model, like all others, is still far from perfect and will be reshaped by future findings. I believe that having a more complete view of aNSC transitions and embracing their complexity will bring us closer to understand how aNSC activity and neurogenesis are controlled throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Urbán
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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Erickson AG, Kameneva P, Adameyko I. The transcriptional portraits of the neural crest at the individual cell level. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 138:68-80. [PMID: 35260294 PMCID: PMC9441473 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of this cell population by His in 1850, the neural crest has been under intense study for its important role during vertebrate development. Much has been learned about the function and regulation of neural crest cell differentiation, and as a result, the neural crest has become a key model system for stem cell biology in general. The experiments performed in embryology, genetics, and cell biology in the last 150 years in the neural crest field has given rise to several big questions that have been debated intensely for many years: "How does positional information impact developmental potential? Are neural crest cells individually multipotent or a mixed population of committed progenitors? What are the key factors that regulate the acquisition of stem cell identity, and how does a stem cell decide to differentiate towards one cell fate versus another?" Recently, a marriage between single cell multi-omics, statistical modeling, and developmental biology has shed a substantial amount of light on these questions, and has paved a clear path for future researchers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alek G Erickson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Polina Kameneva
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Igor Adameyko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neuroimmunology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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15
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Dawes JHP, Kelsh RN. Cell Fate Decisions in the Neural Crest, from Pigment Cell to Neural Development. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13531. [PMID: 34948326 PMCID: PMC8706606 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest shows an astonishing multipotency, generating multiple neural derivatives, but also pigment cells, skeletogenic and other cell types. The question of how this process is controlled has been the subject of an ongoing debate for more than 35 years. Based upon new observations of zebrafish pigment cell development, we have recently proposed a novel, dynamic model that we believe goes some way to resolving the controversy. Here, we will firstly summarize the traditional models and the conflicts between them, before outlining our novel model. We will also examine our recent dynamic modelling studies, looking at how these reveal behaviors compatible with the biology proposed. We will then outline some of the implications of our model, looking at how it might modify our views of the processes of fate specification, differentiation, and commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H. P. Dawes
- Centre for Networks and Collective Behaviour, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK;
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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16
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Sutton G, Kelsh RN, Scholpp S. Review: The Role of Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling in Neural Crest Development in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:782445. [PMID: 34912811 PMCID: PMC8667473 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.782445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a multipotent cell population in vertebrate embryos with extraordinary migratory capacity. The NC is crucial for vertebrate development and forms a myriad of cell derivatives throughout the body, including pigment cells, neuronal cells of the peripheral nervous system, cardiomyocytes and skeletogenic cells in craniofacial tissue. NC induction occurs at the end of gastrulation when the multipotent population of NC progenitors emerges in the ectodermal germ layer in the neural plate border region. In the process of NC fate specification, fate-specific markers are expressed in multipotent progenitors, which subsequently adopt a specific fate. Thus, NC cells delaminate from the neural plate border and migrate extensively throughout the embryo until they differentiate into various cell derivatives. Multiple signalling pathways regulate the processes of NC induction and specification. This review explores the ongoing role of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway during NC development, focusing on research undertaken in the Teleost model organism, zebrafish (Danio rerio). We discuss the function of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway in inducing the NC within the neural plate border and the specification of melanocytes from the NC. The current understanding of NC development suggests a continual role of Wnt/β-catenin signalling in activating and maintaining the gene regulatory network during NC induction and pigment cell specification. We relate this to emerging models and hypotheses on NC fate restriction. Finally, we highlight the ongoing challenges facing NC research, current gaps in knowledge, and this field's potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Sutton
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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