Abstract
The mechanisms underlying mammalian neural tube closure remain poorly understood. We report a unique cellular process involving multicellular rosette formation, convergent cellular protrusions, and F-actin cable network of the non-neural surface ectodermal cells encircling the closure site of the posterior neuropore, which are demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and genetic fate mapping analyses during mouse spinal neurulation. These unique cellular structures are severely disrupted in the surface ectodermal transcription factor Grhl3 mutants that exhibit fully penetrant spina bifida. We propose a novel model of mammalian neural tube closure driven by surface ectodermal dynamics, which is computationally visualized.
Original language | English (US) |
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Journal | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications |
DOIs | |
State | Accepted/In press - Jan 1 2020 |
Keywords
- Computational visual modeling
- Convergent F-actin protrusions and cable network
- Grhl3-KO mice
- Multicellular rosette formation
- Non-neural surface ectodermal cells
- Posterior neuropore (PNP)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology