Ventral body wall closure: Mechanistic insights from mouse models and translation to human pathology.

ABSTRACT: The ventral body wall (VBW) that encloses the thoracic and abdominal cavities arises by extensive cell movements and morphogenetic changes during embryonic development. These morphogenetic processes include embryonic folding generating the primary body wall; the initial ventral cover of the embryo, followed by directed mesodermal cell migrations, contributing to the secondary body wall. Clinical anomalies in VBW development affect approximately 1 in 3000 live births. However, the cell interactions and critical cellular behaviors that control VBW development remain little understood. Here, we describe the embryonic origins of the VBW, the cellular and morphogenetic processes, and key genes, that are essential for VBW development. We also provide a clinical overview of VBW anomalies, togethe

SUBMITTER: Formstone C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11809137 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature