Chick Neurulation

Basilan, Brendalyn R.

Neurulation
Neurulation in vertebrates results in the
formation of theneural tube, which gives
rise to both the spinal cord and the brain.
Neural crest cellsare also created during
neurulation. Neural crest cells migrate away
from the neural tube and give rise to a
variety of cell types, including pigment cells
and neurons.

 Neurulation begins with the formation of aneural plate,

a thickening of the ectoderm caused when cuboidal
epithelial cells become columnar.
Changes in cell shape and cell adhesion cause the edges
of the plate fold and rise, meeting in the midline to form
atube.

 The cells at the tips of theneural foldscome to lie

between theneural tubeand the overlyingepidermis.
These cells become theneural crest cells.
Bothepidermisand neural plateare capable of giving
rise toneural crest cells.

Primary Neurulation
During primary neurulation, the
original ectoderm is divided into
three sets of cells:
(1) the internally positioned
neural tube, which will form the
brain and spinal cord,
(2) the externally positioned
epidermis of the skin,
(3) the neural crest cells.
The neural crest cells form in the
region that connects the neural
tube and epidermis, but then
migrate elsewhere; they will
generate the peripheral neurons
and glia, the pigment cells of the
skin, and several other cell types.

 The process of primary neurulation

appears to be similar in
amphibians, reptiles, birds, and
mammals (Gallera 1971).
Shortly after the neural plate has
formed, its edges thicken and move
upward to form theneural folds,
while a U-shapedneural
grooveappears in the center of
the plate, dividing the future right
and left sides of the embryo.
The neural folds migrate toward
the midline of the embryo,
eventually fusing to form the
neural tube beneath the overlying
ectoderm. The cells at the dorsal
most portion of the neural tube
become theneural crestcells.

somitesform in pairs
flanking the neural tube.
Somites are blocks of
cells that form a
segmental pattern in the
vertebrate embryo.
Somites produce cells
that become vertebrae,
ribs, muscles, and
skin.

Secondary Neurulation
development of the neural tube from
mesenchyme caudal to the posterior
neuropore (tail bud).
Secondary neurulation involves the
making of amedullary cordand its
subsequent hollowing into a neural
tube.
In frogs and chicks, secondary
neurulation is usually seen in the
neural tube of the lumbar (abdominal)
and tail vertebrae.
In both cases, it can be seen as a
continuation of gastrulation.

Secondary Neurulation
A rod like condensation of mesenchymal cells
forms beneath the dorsal ectoderm of the tail
bud.
Within the mesenchymal rod, a central canal
forms by cavitation.
This central canal becomes continuous with the
one formed during primary neurulation and
closure of the posterior neuropore.
Because of the diminished development of the
tail bud in humans, secondary neurulation is not
a prominent process.

Chick Neurulation
The region where neural tube closure
begins varies between different
classes of vertebrates.
Inamphibianssuch asXenopus, the
neural tube closes almost
simultaneously along its entire length.
Inbirds, the neural tube closes in the
anterior to posterior direction, as
Hensen's node regresses.
Mammalianneurulation is similar to
that of birds, however the bulky
anterior neural plate seems to resist
closure - the middle of the tube closes
first, followed by both ends.