Spatiotemporal distribution of neural crest cells in the common wall lizardPodarcis muralis

Abstract

Background: Neural crest cells (NCCs) are migratory embryonic stem cells that give rise to a diverse set of cell types and traits. Here we describe NCC migration and differentiation in the common wall lizard Podarcis muralis inferred from immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization combining eleven markers. Results: We find that oviposition occurs from about somite stage 13 (13ss), at which time migration of NCCs is well underway. In the stages investigated here, cranial NCC migration occurs in three main streams, one starting from the midbrain-hindbrain boundary and two in the caudal hindbrain separated by the otic vesicle. Migration in the trunk proceeds progressively more posteriorly as reported for other tetrapods. NCC differentiation towards mesenchymal fates is observed in craniofacial regions from 21ss, and differentiation towards neuronal fates occurs from 22ss. Conclusions: We find that some markers show labelling patterns that are distinct from those described in other tetrapod species. However, the information emerging from all markers combined shows that the overall behavior of NCCs in the common wall lizard is largely conserved with that of other tetrapods. Our study highlights the dynamic nature of seemingly canonical marker genes and provides the first detailed spatiotemporal profiling of NCCs in a lacertid lizard.