title: Novel skeletogenic patterning roles for the olfactory pit.
abstract: The position of the olfactory placodes suggests that these epithelial thickenings might provide morphogenetic information to the adjacent facial mesenchyme. To test this, we performed in ovo manipulations of the nasal placode in the avian embryo. Extirpation of placodal epithelium or placement of barriers on the lateral side of the placode revealed that the main influence is on the lateral nasal, not the frontonasal, mesenchyme. These early effects were consistent with the subsequent deletion of lateral nasal skeletal derivatives. We then showed in rescue experiments that FGFs are required for nasal capsule morphogenesis. The instructive capacity of the nasal pit epithelium was tested in a series of grafts to the face and trunk. Here, we showed for the first time that nasal pits are capable of inducing bone, cartilage and ectopic PAX7 expression, but these effects were only observed in the facial grafts. Facial mesenchyme also supported the initial projection of the olfactory nerve and differentiation of the olfactory epithelium. Thus, the nasal placode has two roles: as a signaling center for the lateral nasal skeleton and as a source of olfactory neurons and sensory epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Szabo-Rogers
authors.forename: Poongodi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geetha-Loganathan
authors.forename: Cheryl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nimmagadda
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Joy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Richman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003370:Coturnix; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D051524:Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000196:embryology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D051763:PAX7 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051763:PAX7 Transcription Factor; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D051524:Fibroblast Growth Factor 8