Coordination between body growth and tissue growth: Wolffian duct elongation and somitogenesis proceed in harmony with axial growth

Abstract

During embryogenesis, different tissues develop coordinately, and this coordination is often in harmony with body growth. Recent studies allow us to understand how this harmonious regulation is achieved at the levels of inter-cellular, inter-tissue, and tissue-body relationships. Here, we present an overview of recently revealed mechanisms by which axial growth (tail growth) drives a variety of morphogenetic events, with a focus on the coordinated progression between Wolffian (nephric) duct elongation and somitogenesis. We also discuss how we can relate this coordination to the events occurring during limb bud outgrowth, since the limb buds and tail bud are appendage anlagen acquired during vertebrate evolution, both of which undergo massive elongation/outgrowth.

We, the developing rete testis, efferent ducts, and Wolffian duct, all hereby agree that we need to connect

“…Studies using chick and Xenopus have shown that the signals that define the fate of those mesenchymal cells in the intermediate mesoderm have been suggested to originate from the trunk paraxial mesoderm, lateral plate mesoderm, roof plate mesoderm, and the surface ectoderm. In addition, there appears to be coordinated growth between the development of the somites and Wolffian duct elongation (Obara‐Ishihara et al ., ; Atsuta & Takahashi, ; see also Takahashi et al ., ). The cells that respond to those signals form a cord and loose contact with the surrounding intermediate mesoderm, coalesce, and migrate toward the cloaca.…”

“…Studies examining Wolffian duct migration in the chick have shown the importance of FGF signaling (Atsuta & Takahashi, ; Takahashi et al ., ). The leader cells are characteristically mesenchymal, and during their migration, they stay that way as long as they are exposed to a high concentration of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8), which is produced by the mesenchyme within the tail bud region.…”

Collective cell dynamics and luminal fluid flow in the epididymis: A mechanobiological perspective

“…These findings suggest that an FGF8 gradient plays a role in coordinating the elongation of the Wolffian duct and maintaining its epithelial integrity. 8 However, it has been proposed that FGF signaling provides motility for the collective migration, instead of directing the migration path of the duct, as evidenced by the fact that a localized source of FGF8 placed adjacent to the duct did not affect its migration path. 9…”