title: Neurodevelopment. Parasympathetic ganglia derive from Schwann cell precursors.
abstract: Neural crest cells migrate extensively and give rise to most of the peripheral nervous system, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, enteric, and dorsal root ganglia. We studied how parasympathetic ganglia form close to visceral organs and what their precursors are. We find that many cranial nerve-associated crest cells coexpress the pan-autonomic determinant Paired-like homeodomain 2b (Phox2b) together with markers of Schwann cell precursors. Some give rise to Schwann cells after down-regulation of PHOX2b. Others form parasympathetic ganglia after being guided to the site of ganglion formation by the nerves that carry preganglionic fibers, a parsimonious way of wiring the pathway. Thus, cranial Schwann cell precursors are the source of parasympathetic neurons during normal development.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Medina
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Outin
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chettouh
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dymecki
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Consalez
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Inserm U1024, and CNRS UMR 8197, 75005 Paris, France. jfbrunet@biologie.ens.fr.
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brunet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C109220:NBPhox protein; C102938:Neurog2 protein, mouse; C486336:Neurog1 protein, mouse