Jaw muscularization requires Dlx expression by cranial neural crest cells

The origin of active predation in vertebrates is associated with the rise of three major, uniquely derived developmental characteristics of the head: (i) migratory cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) giving rise to most skeletal skull elements; (ii) expression of Dlx genes by CNCCs in the Hox-free fi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2010-06, Vol.107 (25), p.11441-11446
Main Authors: Heude, Églantine, Bouhali, Kamal, Kurihara, Yukiko, Kurihara, Hiroki, Couly, Gérard, Janvier, Philippe, Levi, Giovanni, Le Douarin, Nicole M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological Sciences
Cell Differentiation
Cells
Earth Sciences
Embryos
Female
Gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Genes
Homeodomain Proteins - genetics
Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism
In Situ Hybridization
Jaw
Jaw - embryology
Jaw - physiology
Male
Masticatory muscles
Mesoderm
Mesoderm - metabolism
Mice
Models, Biological
Muscle Development
Muscles
Musculoskeletal system
Neural crest
Neural Crest - cytology
Paleontology
Rodents
Sciences of the Universe
Skull - embryology
Skull - physiology
Tongue
Vertebrates
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Summary:The origin of active predation in vertebrates is associated with the rise of three major, uniquely derived developmental characteristics of the head: (i) migratory cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) giving rise to most skeletal skull elements; (ii) expression of Dlx genes by CNCCs in the Hox-free first pharyngeal arch (PA1); and (iii) muscularization of PA1 derivatives. Here we show that these three innovations are tightly linked. Expression of Dlx genes by CNCCs is not only necessary for head skeletogenesis, but also for the determination, differentiation, and patterning of cephalic myogenic mesoderm leading to masticatory muscle formation. In particular, inactivation of Dlx5 and Dlx6 in the mouse results in loss of jaw muscles. As Dlx5/6 are not expressed by the myogenic mesoderm, our findings imply an instructive role for Dlx5/6-positive CNCCs in muscle formation. The defect in muscularization does not result from the loss of mandibular identity observed in Dlx5/6 -/- mice because masticatory muscles are still present in EdnRA -/- mutants, which display a similar jaw transformation. The genesis of jaws and their muscularization should therefore be seen as an integrated Dlx-dependent developmental process at the origin of the vertebrate head. The role of Dlx genes in defining gnathostome jaw identity could, therefore, be secondary to a more primitive function in the genesis of the oral skeletomuscular system.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1001582107