Developmental biologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course Embryonic patterning and morphogens

Neurulation: Neural Tube Formation, Patterning, and Related Tissues

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Neurulation is the embryonic process that transforms a region of ectoderm into the neural tube, the precursor of the brain and spinal cord. This lesson introduces neural induction and the early cell-shape changes that prepare the neural plate to fold.

The embryo undergoing neurulation is called a neurula. During this stage, a region of the ectoderm becomes the neural plate, a thickened, flattened area that will fold to form the neural tube. The neural tube later differentiates into the brain and spinal cord, which together form the central nervous system (CNS).

All flashcards

Primary neurulation
Formation of the neural tube as the neural plate bends and its edges meet and fuse.
Secondary neurulation
Formation of a neural tube when cavities within a solid medullary cord merge.
Neural induction
Signals that promote neural identity in ectoderm, contributing to formation of the neural plate.
Neural crest
Cells at the neural folds that separate from the tube, migrate, and form several cell populations.
Ventricular zone
The early neural tube's germinal neuroepithelium, containing radial glia and producing neurons.

Quiz questions

  1. Which hinge points develop in the neural folds and help bring their edges toward one another?Answer: Dorsolateral hinge points
  2. Which signaling influence promotes ventral identities in the developing neural tube?Answer: Sonic hedgehog from the notochord and floor plate
  3. Which change in cell adhesion helps neural folds adhere to each other while separating from the epidermis?Answer: A shift from E-cadherin toward N-cadherin and N-CAM
  4. How does secondary neurulation form a neural tube?Answer: Cavities form within a solid medullary cord and merge into a tube.
  5. Which cell populations can neural crest cells contribute to?Answer: Pigment cells and components of the peripheral nervous system

Based on the Wikipedia article Neurulation, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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