Project description:Cranial placodes contribute to all sense organs and sensory ganglia in the vertebrate head. Despite their diversity they originate from a common pool of Six1/Eya2+ progenitors. In a molecular screen we identify new factors upstream of the Six1/Eya2 cassette and use these to dissect the transcriptional hierarchy that controls progenitor specification. We find that although two different tissues, the lateral head mesoderm and the prechordal mesendoderm, induce placode progenitors, both initiate a common transcriptional state, but over time gradually impart regional character. Thus, as cells acquire placode progenitor identify they pass through successive transcriptional states each identified by a distinct set of factors and controlled by different signalling pathways. Thus, we propose a new model for placode progenitor induction reminiscent of Waddington’s evocation-individuation model for neural induction.
Project description:The first morphological evidence of the developing ear is a thickened disk of ectoderm known as the otic placode. However, signals for otogenesis are present even before the otic placode is physically apparent. Several inductive signals have been identified through candidate gene approaches, but there are still many gaps in the signaling cascade of otogenesis. Presently the candidate gene approach has largely exhausted known candidates. This project compares the pre-otic domain with a control region that is competent, but not specified to form otic placode. The purpose of this work is to identify genes that are differentially expressed in the pre-otic domain in order to generate a list of novel candidate genes for otic placode induction.
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:The vertebrate inner ear arises early in development from a thickened epithelium, the otic placode. Specification toward an otic fate requires diverse signals and complex transcriptional inputs that act sequentially and/or in parallel. To uncover and integrate novel genes with known molecular players in the gene regulatory network (GRN) underlying otic development, we have performed transcriptome analyses of the presumptive otic region at sequential early stages of commitment toward inner ear identity. Our results identify hundreds of genes enriched at specific developmental time points, revealing dynamic changes in gene expression as a function of time during the transition from progenitor to committed otic state. Initial functional analysis of selected enriched transcription factors demonstrates a genetic hierarchy amongst these genes underlying this critical transition. Our results not only characterize the otic transcriptome in unprecedented detail but also identify new links in the GRN responsible for development of the presumptive inner ear.
Project description:The inner ear develops from a patch of thickened cranial ectoderm adjacent to the hindbrain called the otic placode. Studies in a number of vertebrate species suggest that the initial steps in induction of the otic placode are regulated by members of the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) family, and that inhibition of FGF signaling can prevent otic placode formation. To better understand the genetic pathways activated by FGF signaling during otic placode induction, we performed microarray experiments to estimate the proportion of chicken otic placode genes that can be up-regulated by the FGF pathway in a simple culture model of otic placode induction. Surprisingly, we find that FGF is only sufficient to induce about 15% of chick otic placode-specific genes in our experimental system. However, pharmacological blockade of the FGF pathway in cultured chick embryos showed that although FGF signaling was not sufficient to induce the majority of otic placode-specific genes, it was still necessary for their expression in vivo. These inhibitor experiments further suggest that the early steps in otic placode induction regulated by FGF signaling occur through the MAP kinase pathway. Although our work suggests that FGF signaling is necessary for otic placode induction, it demonstrates that other unidentified signaling pathways are required to co-operate with FGF signaling to induce the full otic placode program.
Project description:The inner ear develops from a patch of thickened cranial ectoderm adjacent to the hindbrain called the otic placode. Studies in a number of vertebrate species suggest that the initial steps in induction of the otic placode are regulated by members of the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) family, and that inhibition of FGF signaling can prevent otic placode formation. To better understand the genetic pathways activated by FGF signaling during otic placode induction, we performed microarray experiments to estimate the proportion of chicken otic placode genes that can be up-regulated by the FGF pathway in a simple culture model of otic placode induction. Surprisingly, we find that FGF is only sufficient to induce about 15% of chick otic placode-specific genes in our experimental system. However, pharmacological blockade of the FGF pathway in cultured chick embryos showed that although FGF signaling was not sufficient to induce the majority of otic placode-specific genes, it was still necessary for their expression in vivo. These inhibitor experiments further suggest that the early steps in otic placode induction regulated by FGF signaling occur through the MAP kinase pathway. Although our work suggests that FGF signaling is necessary for otic placode induction, it demonstrates that other unidentified signaling pathways are required to co-operate with FGF signaling to induce the full otic placode program. 8 samples were analyzed. These contain two replicates of each of the following four catergories: Otic ectoderm, Non-Otic (lateral) ectoderm, Trigeminal Ectoderm cultured - FGF, Trigeminal Ectoderm cultured + FGF
Project description:Single cell-based studies have revealed tremendous cellular heterogeneity in stem cell and progenitor compartments, suggesting continuous differentiation trajectories with intermixing of cells at various states of lineage commitment and notable degree of plasticity during organogenesis. The hepato-pancreato-biliary organ system relies on a small endoderm progenitor compartment that gives rise to a variety of different adult tissues, including liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and extra-hepatic bile ducts. Experimental manipulation of various developmental signals in the mouse embryo underscored important cellular plasticity in this embryonic territory. This is also reflected in the existence of human genetic syndromes as well as congenital or environmentally-caused human malformations featuring multiorgan phenotypes in liver, pancreas and gallbladder. Nevertheless, the precise lineage hierarchy and succession of events leading to the segregation of an endoderm progenitor compartment into hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic structures are not yet established. Here, we combine computational modelling approaches with genetic lineage tracing to assess the tissue dynamics accompanying the ontogeny of the hepato-pancreato-biliary organ system. We show that a multipotent progenitor domain persists at the border between liver and pancreas, even after pancreatic fate is specified, contributing to the formation of several organ derivatives, including the liver. Moreover, using single-cell RNA sequencing we define a specialized niche that possibly supports such extended cell fate plasticity.