Evolution of Cranial Patterning: Role of the Neural Crest

9419407詹姆斯·汉肯这项研究项目的最终目标是了解不同物种头部解剖学差异的发育基础。这些研究集中于一种独特的细胞群体--神经脊--脊椎动物的许多颅骨组织都是从这种细胞派生出来的。不同物种的神经脊细胞对颅骨和颅骨肌肉系统的具体贡献将通过在发育早期用荧光染料标记这些细胞，在它们开始在全身迁移之前进行评估，并跟踪它们的运动，看看哪些颅骨组织是从标记的细胞衍生而来的。这项研究还将确定神经脊细胞是否包含导致物种解剖差异的发育信息，并记录在发育过程中可能调节神经脊细胞发育和成年命运的基因表达的地点和时间。这项研究将增加我们对复杂解剖结构综合进化背后的遗传和发育机制的了解。

9419407 James Hanken The ultimate goal of this research project is to understand the developmental basis of anatomical differences in anatomy of the head among species. The studies focus on a unique population of cells--the neural crest--from which many cranial tissues in vertebrates are derived. The specific contributions of neural crest cells to the skull and cranial musculature in different species will be assessed by labeling these cells with a fluorescent dye early in development, before they begin to migrate throughout the body, and tracking their movement to see which cranial tissues are derived from the labeled cells. The research will also determine whether neural crest cells contain the developmental information that is responsible for anatomical differences among species and document the place and time during development where genes are expressed that might mediate the development and adult fates of neural crest cells. The research will increase our knowledge of the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying the integrated evolution of complex anatomical structures.