title: Molecular and cellular biology of avian somite development.
abstract: Much of our understanding of early vertebrate embryogenesis derives from experimental work done with the chick embryo. Studies of the avian somite have played a key role in elucidating the developmental history of this important structure, the source of most muscle and bone in the organism. Here we review the development of the avian somite including morphological and molecular data on the origin of paraxial mesoderm, maturation of the segmental plate, specification and formation of somite compartments, and somite cell differentiation into cartilage and skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305-5151, USA. mlfes.leland.stanford.edu
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Stockdale
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nikovits
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christ
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002356:Cartilage / Q000196:embryology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008967:Molecular Biology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000196:embryology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019170:Somites / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009626:Terminology as Topic