PUBLICATION

Turning heads: development of vertebrate branchiomotor neurons

Authors
Chandrasekhar, A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-040109-20
Date
2004
Source
Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists   229(1): 143-161 (Review)
Registered Authors
Chandrasekhar, Anand
Keywords
hindbrain, motor neuron, rhombomere, axon guidance, anatomy, specification, neuronal migration, branchial arch, cranial, segmentation
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement
  • Cranial Nerves/cytology
  • Cranial Nerves/embryology
  • Efferent Pathways/cytology
  • Efferent Pathways/embryology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Genes, Homeobox
  • Humans
  • Motor Neurons/cytology*
  • Rhombencephalon/cytology
  • Rhombencephalon/embryology
  • Stem Cells/cytology
  • Vertebrates/embryology*
  • Vertebrates/genetics
PubMed
14699587 Full text @ Dev. Dyn.
Abstract
The cranial motor neurons innervate muscles that control eye, jaw, and facial movements of the vertebrate head and parasympathetic neurons that innervate certain glands and organs. These efferent neurons develop at characteristic locations in the brainstem, and their axons exit the neural tube in well-defined trajectories to innervate target tissues. This review is focused on a subset of cranial motor neurons called the branchiomotor neurons, which innervate muscles derived from the branchial (pharyngeal) arches. First, the organization of the branchiomotor pathways in zebrafish, chick, and mouse embryos will be compared, and the underlying axon guidance mechanisms will be addressed. Next, the molecular mechanisms that generate branchiomotor neurons and specify their identities will be discussed. Finally, the caudally directed or tangential migration of facial branchiomotor neurons will be examined. Given the advances in the characterization and analysis of vertebrate genomes, we can expect rapid progress in elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of these vital neuronal networks.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping