Brooks, E. R., Islam, M. T., Anderson, K. V., & Zallen, J. A. (2020). Sonic hedgehog signaling directs patterned cell remodeling during cranial neural tube closure. eLife, 9, e60234. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60234

Sonic hedgehog signaling directs patterned cell remodeling during cranial neural tube closure

Smith College

- All vertebrate systems utilize an early embryonic structure known as the dorsal neural tube
- The "head" of this structure will go on to form various subdivisions of the brain   

Development from Dorsal Neural Tube

Neural Tube Library 

- During the early development, the embryo will transform a flat plane of neuroepithelial cells into a closed tube, which will eventually develop/ differentiate into structures of the brain and spinal cord 
-  In order for this to occur, these neuroepithelial cells utilize specific genetic expression patterns to allow for closure across the head to tail axis, and allow for appropriate cell behavior in specific regions 
- There are also certain prerequisite processes that allow neural tube closure to happen, such as apical constriction 

Neural Tube Closure 

- 100+ genes are used to facilitate closure of the cranial neural tube 
- Researchers have hypothesized that unique mechanisms for neural tube closure are utilized in this region, since the cranial neural plate region is much wider compared to that of the spinal cord or other regions
- The cranial neural tube also utilizes a range of morphogen (molecular) signaling patterns to differentiate cells into specific identities across its axis 

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