The ascidian pigmented sensory organs: structures and developmental programs.
The recent advances on ascidian pigment sensory organ development and function represent a fascinating platform to get insight on the basic programs of chordate eye formation. This review aims to summarize current knowledge, at the structural and molecular levels, on the two main building blocks of ascidian light sensory organ, i.e. pigment cells and photoreceptor cells. The unique features of these structures (e.g., simplicity and well characterized cell lineage) are indeed making it possible to dissect the developmental programs at single cell resolution and will soon provide a panel of molecular tools to be exploited for a deep developmental and comparative-evolutionary analysis.
Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, NAPOLI, Italy.
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D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019070:Cell Lineage; D043344:Chordata / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism; D010858:Pigmentation; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000254:growth & development*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014561:Urochordata / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D014785:Vision, Ocular
D008543:Melanins; D014157:Transcription Factors
melanin biosynthesis; photoreceptor; pigment cells; visual cycle