In vivo evidence that the premature death (p) mutation ofAmbystoma mexicanum affects an early segregating subpopulation of neural crest cells
✍ Scribed by Graveson, Ann C. ;Armstrong, John B.
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1994
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 854 KB
- Volume
- 269
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-104X
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The premature death (p) mutation of Ambystoma mexicanum causes a variety of abnormalities and rapid degeneration in homozygous embryos. We have previously determined that the differentiative ability of the chondrogenic neural crest is severely deficient in these embryos. In this study, we demonstrate that the axial specification of the defective neural crest cells is normal, since their major migration routes are the same as those of wild‐type cells from the same axial levels. In addition, we use a series of transplantations and extirpations to show that other neural crest cell populations are also affected by the mutation. The defects observed in p/p embryos, therefore, suggest a role for the neural crest in the morphogenesis of the gills in the establishment of a functional circulatory system, and perhaps in the proper development of other organ systems. We propose that the subset of neural crest cells which are affected by the mutation may represent an intermediate subpopulation produced during the segregation of the neural crest. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.