title: Neural crest cells: from developmental biology to clinical interventions.
abstract: Neural crest cells are multipotent cells, which are specified in embryonic ectoderm in the border of neural plate and epiderm during early development by interconnection of extrinsic stimuli and intrinsic factors. Neural crest cells are capable of differentiating into various somatic cell types, including melanocytes, craniofacial cartilage and bone, smooth muscle, and peripheral nervous cells, which supports their promise for cell therapy. In this work, we provide a comprehensive review of wide aspects of neural crest cells from their developmental biology to applicability in medical research. We provide a simplified model of neural crest cell development and highlight the key external stimuli and intrinsic regulators that determine the neural crest cell fate. Defects of neural crest cell development leading to several human disorders are also mentioned, with the emphasis of using human induced pluripotent stem cells to model neurocristopathic syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine/Physiology, University of Helsinki, Finland; School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
authors.forename: Parinya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Noisa
authors.forename: Taneli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raivio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D015509:Developmental Biology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: human pluripotent stem cells; neural crest cells; neurocristopathies