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First published online August 25, 2005

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A finely balanced position

The sensory nervous system in the vertebrate head arises from two cell populations: the neural crest cells and the placodal cells. So how do multipotent head ectodermal cells decide between these fates? Litsiou et al. now report on p. 4051 that WNT signalling is crucial in this process, as it promotes neural crest generation over sensory placode formation. From their studies in chick embryos, the authors provide important new insights into the complex process of placode formation and positioning, which, they suggest, is controlled by a balance of signals that emanate from surrounding tissues. For example, while neural-crest-promoting WNT and BMP signals are produced from the neural folds, counterbalancing BMP and WNT antagonists are secreted by the head mesoderm to protect placode precursors from the inhibitory effects of this signalling. FGF signalling also has crucial roles at early and late stages in this process.

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Related articles in Development:

A balance of FGF, BMP and WNT signalling positions the future placode territory in the head

Anna Litsiou, Sven Hanson, and Andrea Streit
Development 2005 132: 4051-4062. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?