Fig. 7. Reception of Hh signaling is not required in neural crest cells to
condense on the stomodeum. (A) A tight neural crest cell
condensation coats the stomodeum in wild-type 30 hpf fli1:GFP embryos
(arrow). (B) The region of this condensation superior to the stomodeum
is absent in smo-;fli1:GFP embryos, although
GFP-positive sclera is present surrounding the eye (arrowhead). (C,D) 30 hpf
embryos following transplantation between wild-type and
smo- embryos. (C) smo- neural
crest cells readily condense on the stomodeal roof in wild-type embryos
(arrow, n=12). (D) Crest cells from wild-type donors fail to
condense on the stomodeal roof in smo- embryos, even
though they can populate the region occupied by palatoquadrate and Meckel's
cartilage precursors (n=18). (E-H) Images taken from a
time-lapse recording (n=2) of wild-type crest in a
smo- host. Wild-type neural crest cells are capable of
initially populating the region superior to the stomodeum (E-H, arrow);
however, these cells are not stabilized in this position and eventually
migrate posterior to the eye. Wild-type cells in the Meckel's cartilage domain
condense normally (E-G, arrowhead). Lateral views, dorsal is upwards. nc,
neural crest; WT, wild type. Scale bar: 50 µm.