Project description:During amniote peripheral nervous system development, segmentation ensures the correct patterning of the spinal nerves relative to vertebral column. Along the antero-posterior (rostro-caudal) axis, each somite-derived half-sclerotome has intrinsic molecular properties that govern this segmentation process. Posterior half-sclerotomes express repellent molecules to restrict axon growth and neural crest migration to anterior half-sclerotomes. Here, we report an RNA-sequencing-based molecular characterization of anterior and posterior half-sclerotomes, using the chick embryo as a model organism.
Project description:Retinal structure and function have been studied in many vertebrate orders, but molecular characterization has been largely confined to mammals. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to generate a cell atlas of the chick retina. From ~40000 single cell transcriptomes, we identified ~150 cell types distributed among the six classes conserved across vertebrates – photoreceptor, horizontal, bipolar, amacrine, retinal ganglion and glial cells. To match molecular profiles to morphology, we adapted a method for CRISPR-based integration of reporters into selectively expressed genes. For Müller glia, we found that transcriptionally distinct cells were regionally localized along the anterior-posterior, dorsal-ventral and central-peripheral retinal axes. We also identified immature photoreceptor, horizontal cell and oligodendrocyte types that persist into late embryonic stages. Finally, we analyzed relationships among chick, mice and primate retinal cell types. Taken together, our results provide a foundation for anatomical, physiological, evolutionary, and developmental studies of the avian visual system.
Project description:In birds and mammals, all mesoderm cells are generated from the primitive streak. Nascent mesoderm cells contain unique dorso-ventral (D/V) identities depending on their relative ingression position along the streak. Molecular mechanisms controlling this initial phase of mesoderm diversification are not well-understood. Using chick model, we generated high-quality transcriptomic datasets of different streak regions and analyzed their molecular heterogeneity. Streak tissues were dissected from stage-matched HH4 chick embryos and were further divided into four equal pieces along its anterio-posterior length (termed “A”, “B”, “C” and “D”, with “A” representing most anterior and therefore most dorsal and “D” most posterior and therefore most ventral). Each of the four regions was represented by three independent samples (n=3), with each sample containing 5-7 μg total RNA derived from 85-93 pooled pieces. 5 μg of RNA from each sample were used to screen Affymetrix Chicken Genome Array without an amplification step.
Project description:Few families of signaling factors have been implicated in the control of development. Here we identify the neuropeptides nociceptin and somatostatin, a neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine hormone, as a class of developmental signals in chick and zebrafish. We show that signals from the anterior mesendoderm are required for the formation of anterior placode progenitors with one of the signals being somatostatin. Somatostatin controls ectodermal expression of nociceptin and both peptides regulate Pax6 in lens and olfactory progenitors. Consequently, loss of somatostatin and nociceptin signaling leads to severe reduction of lens formation. Our findings not only uncover these neuropeptides as developmental signals, but also identify a long-sought-after mechanism that initiates Pax6 in placode progenitors and may explain the ancient evolutionary origin of neuropeptides, pre-dating a complex nervous system. We used progenitors for anterior and posterior sensory placodes dissected from chick embryos HH5-7; these were either processed immediately or cultured for 5 hrs to hybridise to Affymetrix chick array. We aimed to identify genes that are co regualted with Pax6, a key regulator of lens and olfactory progenitor cells. Pax6 is normally present in anterior, but not posterior placode precursors, but upregulated in both after 5 hrs culture.
Project description:Microarray analysis of chick embryo tissues: Hamburger Hamilton (HH) stage 3+/4 and HH6 Hensenâs node, HH 3+/4 posterior primitive streak, notochord with ventral neural tube at HH10-11, dorsal neural tube at HH10-11 and anterior and posterior thirds of the wing bud at stages HH20-21 and HH24.
Project description:Primary objectives: Characterization of the macrophage population subset that is modulated by enteric neurons
Primary endpoints: Characterization of the macrophage population subset that is modulated by enteric neurons via RNA sequencing