Molecular regionalization of the developing amphioxus neural tube challenges major partitions of the vertebrate brain.

ABSTRACT: All vertebrate brains develop following a common Bauplan defined by anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) subdivisions, characterized by largely conserved differential expression of gene markers. However, it is still unclear how this Bauplan originated during evolution. We studied the relative expression of 48 genes with key roles in vertebrate neural patterning in a representative amphioxus embryonic stage. Unlike nonchordates, amphioxus develops its central nervous system (CNS) from a neural plate that is homologous to that of vertebrates, allowing direct topological comparisons. The resulting genoarchitectonic model revealed that the amphioxus incipient neural tube is unexpectedly complex, consisting of several AP and DV molecular partitions. Strikingly, comparison with vertebrates

SUBMITTER: Albuixech-Crespo B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5396861 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature