The surface ectoderm exhibits spatially heterogenous tension that correlates with YAP localisation during spinal neural tube closure in mouse embryos.

ABSTRACT: The single cell layer of surface ectoderm (SE) which overlies the closing neural tube (NT) plays a crucial biomechanical role during mammalian NT closure (NTC), challenging previous assumptions that it is only passive to the force-generating neuroepithelium (NE). Failure of NTC leads to congenital malformations known as NT defects (NTDs), including spina bifida (SB) and anencephaly in the spine and brain respectively. In several mouse NTD models, SB is caused by misexpression of SE-specific genes and is associated with disrupted SE mechanics, including loss of rostrocaudal cell elongation believed to be important for successful closure. In this study, we asked how SE mechanics affect NT morphology, and whether the characteristic rostrocaudal cell elongation at the progressing closure site

SUBMITTER: Marshall AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10618430 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature