Year: 2012
Type: review
Abstract: When amniotes appeared during evolution, embryos freed themselves from intracellular nutrition; development slowed, the mid-blastula transition was lost and maternal components became less important for polarity. Extra-embryonic tissues emerged to provide nutrition and other innovations. One such tissue, the hypoblast (visceral endoderm in mouse), acquired a role in fixing the body plan: it controls epiblast cell movements leading to primitive streak formation, generating bilateral symmetry. It also transiently induces expression of pre-neural markers in the epiblast, which also contributes to delay streak formation. After gastrulation, the hypoblast might protect prospective forebrain cells from caudalizing signals. These functions separate mesendodermal and neuroectodermal domains by protecting cells against being caught up in the movements of gastrulation.
Source: Development
DOI: 10.1242/dev.070730
Authors: Claudio D. Stern, Karen M. Downs
Institutions: University College London, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2129066547