Biomaterial Database

The role of extracellular material in chick neurulation. II. Surface morphology of neuroepithelial cells during neural fold fusion. 1978

H Y Lee, and J B Sheffield, and R G Nagele

Changes in cell surface morphology of the neuroepithelium during fusion of neural folds in the chick were studied. As the folds were about to meet, a thick extracellular coat material (ECM) appeared between the two leading edges. Cell membranes forming the fusion area were relatively smooth and heavily coated with ECM. By contrast, the apical surface of most cells lining the wall of the neural tube was folded with much less ECM. During the contact of neural folds, ECM was displaced from the space between the two leading edges, leaving a thin, closely adherent "typical" cell surface coat. Trypsin and concanavalin A inhibited proper alignment and fusion of apposing neural folds by modifying the surface of developing neuroepithelium. Results of this study support a hypothesis that ECM may serve temporarily as an adhesive to bind together the leading edges of neural folds until establishment of more intimate contacts (junctional complexes).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009024	Morphogenesis	The development of anatomical structures to create the form of a single- or multi-cell organism. Morphogenesis provides form changes of a part, parts, or the whole organism.
D009420	Nervous System	The entire nerve apparatus, composed of a central part, the brain and spinal cord, and a peripheral part, the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, and plexuses. (Stedman, 26th ed)	Nervous Systems,System, Nervous,Systems, Nervous
D011952	Receptors, Concanavalin A	Glycoprotein moieties on the surfaces of cell membranes that bind concanavalin A selectively; the number and location of the sites depends on the type and condition of the cell.	Concanavalin A Binding Sites,Concanavalin A Receptors,Concanavalin A Receptor,Receptor, Concanavalin A
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D004627	Embryonic Induction	The complex processes of initiating CELL DIFFERENTIATION in the embryo. The precise regulation by cell interactions leads to diversity of cell types and specific pattern of organization (EMBRYOGENESIS).	Embryonic Inductions,Induction, Embryonic,Inductions, Embryonic
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D006651	Histocytochemistry	Study of intracellular distribution of chemicals, reaction sites, enzymes, etc., by means of staining reactions, radioactive isotope uptake, selective metal distribution in electron microscopy, or other methods.	Cytochemistry
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia