Lauren G. Todorov

Oct 23, 2024 | nature.com | Takehiro Kusakabe |Michael Levine |Lauren G. Todorov |Kouhei Oonuma

AbstractNeural crest cells are multipotent progenitors that produce defining features of vertebrates such as the ‘new head’1. Here we use the tunicate, Ciona, to explore the evolutionary origins of neural crest since this invertebrate chordate is among the closest living relatives of vertebrates2,3,4. Previous studies identified two potential neural crest cell types in Ciona, sensory pigment cells and bipolar tail neurons5,6.