Ultrastructure of the lamprey head mesoderm reveals evolution of the vertebrate head.

ABSTRACT: The cranial muscle is a critical component in the vertebrate head for a predatory lifestyle. However, its evolutionary origin and possible segmental nature during embryogenesis have been controversial. In jawed vertebrates, the presence of pre-otic segments similar to trunk somites has been claimed based on developmental observations. However, evaluating such arguments has been hampered by the paucity of research on jawless vertebrates. Here, we discovered different cellular arrangements in the head mesoderm in lamprey embryos (Lethenteron camtschaticum) using serial block-face scanning electron and laser scanning microscopies. These cell populations were morphologically and molecularly different from somites. Furthermore, genetic comparison among deuterostomes revealed that mesoder

SUBMITTER: Onai T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10767164 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature