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- Ericsson, Rolf
(författare)
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A Comparative Study of Head Development in Mexican Axolotl and Australian Lungfish: Cell Migration, Cell Fate and Morphogenesis
- 2003
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The development of the vertebrate head is a complex process involving interactions between a multitude of cell types and tissues. This thesis describes the development of the cranial neural crest and of the visceral arch muscles in the head of two species. One, the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), is a basal tetrapod, whereas the other, the Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri), belongs to the Dipnoi, the extant sister group of the Tetrapoda. The migration of neural crest cells, which form most of the bones and connective tissues in the head, and the morphogenesis of the jaw, was determined in the Mexican axolotl. It was shown that both the upper and lower jaws form from ventral condensations of neural crest cells in the mandibular arch. The dorsal condensation, earlier considered to give rise to the upper jaw, was shown to form the trabecula cranii.The normal spatio-temporal development of visceral arch muscles was investigated in both the Mexican axolotl and the Australian lungfish. In axolotl, the muscles tended to start forming almost simultaneously in all visceral arches at their future origins and extend towards their future insertions at the onset of muscle fibre formation. In lungfish, fibres formed simultaneously throughout most of each muscle anlage in the first and second visceral arch, but were delayed in the branchial arches. The anlagen were first observed at their future insertion, from which they developed towards future origins. To test the ability of neural crest cells to pattern the visceral arch muscles, migrating crest cells were extirpated from axolotl embryos, which resulted in a wide range of muscle malformations. In most cases, the muscles appeared in the right position but were small and extended in abnormal directions. This shows that neural crest cells are responsible not for the position of the muscles but for their correct anatomical pattern. Fate mapping showed that connective tissue surrounding myofibers is, at least partly, neural crest derived.In conclusion, the work presented in this thesis shows that although early development may map out the patterns of later development, the differences between axolotl and lungfish head development are not seen until during morphogenesis. Further investigation of morphogenesis is needed to explain the great variation of head morphology seen in vertebrates today.
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| 2. |
- Boisvert, Catherine Anne, 1978-
(författare)
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The Origin of Tetrapod Limbs and Girdles: Fossil and Developmental Evidence
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Around 375 million years ago, the first tetrapods appeared, marking one of the most important events in vertebrate evolutionary history. The fin to limb transition saw the appearance of fingers and a weight bearing pelvic girdle. While very little research has been done on the evolution of the tetrapod pelvic girdle, a fair amount has been done on the origins of fingers but some aspects remained controversial. A combination of palaeontology, developmental biology and comparative morphology was therefore used in this thesis to better understand the fin to limb transition. The pectoral fin of Panderichthys, a sarcopterygian fish closely related to tetrapods was CT-scanned and modeled in three dimensions and its pelvic girdle and fin were examined with traditional techniques. This information from the fossil record was integrated with comparisons of the development of the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, our closest living fish relative and the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), a salamander representing well the condition of early tetrapods. Development of bone and cartilage was studied through clearing and staining and development of skeletal muscles through immunostaining. In situ hybridizations were performed on the lungfish to study the expression of Hoxd13, associated with the formation of digits in tetrapods. This work shows that the late expression phase of Hoxd13 is present in Neoceratodus and is associated with the formation of radials. Redescription of the pectoral fin of Panderichthys reveals that distal radials are present, which, in addition to other information, lead us to conclude that digits are not novelties in tetrapods but rather have evolved from the distal radials present in the fins of all sarcopterygian fish. The earliest tetrapods lack a full set of wrist + carpals/ankle + tarsal bones. Here, we propose that this region of the limbs evolved after fingers and toes through an expansion of the region between the proximal limb bones and the digits. As for the pelvic girdle, it is very primitive in Panderichthys but comparison of its development in Neoceratodus and Ambystoma suggest that the ischium evolved through the posterior expansion of the pubis and the ilium, through an elongation of the iliac process already present in sarcopterygian fishes. The results of this thesis help to better understand the fin to limb transition and show that it is more gradual than previously believed.
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| 3. |
- Ericsson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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Patterns of Spatial and Temporal Visceral Arch Muscle Development in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
- 2004
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Ingår i: Journal of morphology. - : Wiley. - 0362-2525 .- 1097-4687. ; 261:2, s. 131-140
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vertebrate head development is a classical topic that has received renewed attention during the last decade. Most reports use one of a few model organisms (chicken, mouse, zebrafish) and have focused on molecular mechanisms and the role of the neural crest, while cranial muscle development has received less attention. Here we describe cranial muscle differentiation and morphogenesis in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. To determine the onset of differentiation we use antibodies against desmin and optical sectioning using confocal laser scanning microscopy on whole-mount immunostained embryos. This technique makes it possible to document the cranial muscle in three dimensions while keeping the specimens intact. Desmin expression starts almost simultaneously in the first, second, and third visceral arch muscles (as in other amphibians studied). Muscle anlagen divide up early into the different elements which constitute the larval cranial musculature. We extend and refine earlier findings, e.g., by documenting a clear division between interhyoideus and interhyoideus posterior. The timing of cranial muscle differentiation differs among vertebrate groups, but seems to be constant within each group. This study provides a morphological foundation for further studies of muscle cell fate and early differentiation.
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| 6. |
- Ziermann, Janine M., et al.
(författare)
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Cephalic muscle development in the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of morphology. - : WILEY. - 0362-2525 .- 1097-4687. ; 279:4, s. 494-516
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lungfishes are the extant sister group of tetrapods. As such, they are important for the study of evolutionary processes involved in the water to land transition of vertebrates. The evolution of a true neck, that is, the complete separation of the pectoral girdle from the cranium, is one of the most intriguing morphological transitions known among vertebrates. Other salient changes involve new adaptations for terrestrial feeding, which involves both the cranium and its associated musculature. Historically, the cranium has been extensively investigated, but the development of the cranial muscles much less so. Here, we present a detailed study of cephalic muscle development in the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, which is considered to be the sister taxon to all other extant lungfishes. Neoceratodus shows several developmental patterns previously described in other taxa; the tendency of muscles to develop from anterior to posterior, from their region of origin toward insertion, and from lateral to ventral/medial (outside-in), at least in the branchial arches. The m.protractor pectoralis appears to develop as an extension of the most posterior m.levatores arcuum branchialium, supporting the hypothesis that the m.cucullaris and its derivatives (protractor pectoralis, levatores arcuum branchialium) are branchial muscles. We present a new hypothesis regarding the homology of the ventral branchial arch muscles (subarcualis recti and obliqui, transversi ventrales) in lungfishes and amphibians. Moreover, the morphology and development of the cephalic muscles confirms that extant lungfishes are neotenic and have been strongly influenced via paedomorphosis during their evolutionary history.
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