title: Apoptosis and proliferation in developing, mature, and regressing epibranchial placodes.
abstract: Epibranchial placodes and rhombencephalic neural crest provide precursor cells for the geniculate, petrosal, and nodose ganglia. In chick embryos and in Tupaia belangeri, apoptosis in rhombomeres 3 and 5 helps to select premigratory precursor cells and to segregate crest cell streams derived from the even-numbered rhombomeres. Much less is known about the patterns and functions of apoptosis in epibranchial placodes. We found that, in Tupaia belangeri, combined anlagen of the otic placode and epibranchial placode 1 transiently share a primordial low grade thickening with post-otic epibranchial placodes. Three-dimensional reconstructions reveal complementary, spatially, and temporally regulated apoptotic and proliferative events that demarcate the otic placode and epibranchial placode 1, and help to individualize three pairs of epibranchial placodes in a rostrocaudal sequence. Later, rostrocaudal waves of proliferation and apoptosis extend from dorsal to ventral parts of the placodes, paralleled by the dorsoventral progression of precursor cell delamination. These findings suggest a role for apoptosis during the process of neuroblast generation in the epibranchial placodes. Finally, apoptosis eliminates remnants of the placodes in the presence of late invading macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy/Embryology, Georg August University, Kreuzbergring 36, D-37075 Göttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Washausen
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Obermayer
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunnett
authors.forename: Hans-Jürg
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D014417:Tupaia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*