Analysis of trunk neural crest cell migration using a modified Zigmond chamber assay.

Neural crest cells (NCCs) are a transient population of cells present in vertebrate development that emigrate from the dorsal neural tube (NT) after undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Following EMT, NCCs migrate large distances along stereotypic pathways until they reach their targets. NCCs differentiate into a vast array of cell types including neurons, glia, melanocytes, and chromaffin cells.

Effect of NRG1, GDNF, EGF and NGF in the migration of a Schwann cell precursor line.

The Schwann cells are the myelinating glia of the peripheral nervous system that originated during development from the highly motile neural crest. However, we do not know what the guidance signals for the Schwann cell precursors are. Therefore, we set to test some of the known neurotrophins that are expressed early in developing embryos and have been shown to be critical for the survival and patterning of developing glia and neurons.