ABSTRACT
The neural crest (NC) is derived from the ectoderm at the lateral borders of the neural plate and is first distinct during the later stages of neurulation when prospective NC cells segregate from the surrounding epidermal ectoderm and neurectoderm along the entire dorsolateral aspect of the forming and newly formed neural tube. From this origin, NC cells migrate extensive distances throughout the embryo to give rise to a large number of differentiated cell types and contribute to a diverse series of organ systems. This unique cell population therefore poses fundamental questions of the mechanisms underlying morphogenesis and differentiation during embryonic development.
The developmental fate of NC cells reflects their point of origin along the anterior–posterior axis of the embryo. Of particular significance to the present volume is the major contribution of cells derived from the cephalic NC to the facial skeleton.
