title: Commitment of chondrogenic precursors of the avian scapula takes place after epithelial-mesenchymal transition of the dermomyotome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cells of the epithelially organised dermomyotome are traditionally believed to give rise to skeletal muscle and dermis. We have previously shown that the dermomyotome can undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and give rise to chondrogenic cells, which go on to form the scapula blade in birds. At present we have little understanding regarding the issue of when the chondrogenic fate of dermomyotomal cells is determined. Using quail-chick grafting experiments, we investigated whether scapula precursor cells are committed to a chondrogenic fate while in an epithelial state or whether commitment is established after EMT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that the hypaxial dermomyotome, which normally forms the scapula, does not generate cartilaginous tissue after it is grafted to the epaxial domain. In contrast engraftment of the epaxial dermomyotome to the hypaxial domain gives rise to scapula-like cartilage. However, the hypaxial sub-ectodermal mesenchyme (SEM), which originates from the hypaxial dermomyotome after EMT, generates cartilaginous elements in the epaxial domain, whereas in reciprocal grafting experiments, the epaxial SEM cannot form cartilage in the hypaxial domain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that the epithelial cells of the dermomyotome are not committed to the chondrogenic lineage. Commitment to this lineage occurs after it has undergone EMT to form the sub-ectodermal mesenchyme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Goettingen, Kreuzbergring 36, 37075 Goettingen, Germany. baigang.wang@medizin.uni-goettingen.de
authors.forename: Baigang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: Ketan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilting
authors.forename: Ruijin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D011784:Quail / Q000196:embryology*; D012540:Scapula / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*
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