Anderson Laboratory - Cell Migration
Principal Investigator: Dr Richard Anderson
Phone (office): +61 3 8344 5783
Phone (lab): +61 3 8344 5770
Fax: +61 3 9347 5219
Email: rba@unimelb.edu.au
Room: E525
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Introduction:
One of the most important events that occur during the development of the nervous system is cell migration. This is a process in which neural precursors migrate from their site of origin to their final destination. My laboratory is interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling the migration of neural crest cells during development. Neural crest cells arise in the neural tube (that will give rise to the brain and spinal cord) and undergo the most extensive migration of any cell during embryonic development. Neural crest cells migrate throughout the embryo and participate in the development of a variety of tissues that include the enteric nervous system (ENS).
The ENS consists of a large network of neurons and glial cells within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, which controls many intestinal functions including peristalsis (the propulsion of contents along the gut). It has been estimated that there are more neurons within the gastrointestinal tract than there are in the spinal cord. The ENS is essential for all stages of post-natal life, as mice lacking a functional ENS usually die within 24 hours of birth. During development, neural crest cells must migrate into and along the entire gastrointestinal tract. If neural crest cells fail to colonise the distal regions of the gastrointestinal tract, the affected region lacks an ENS which is termed “terminal aganglionosis”. In humans, this condition is called Hirschsprung’s disease, and affects around 1 in 5,000 newborns and shows a 4:1 male:female predominance. The primary treatment for Hirschsprung's disease is the surgical removal of the aganglionic segment and anal anastomosis with proximal intestine, although functional problems often persist. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms that control the migration of enteric neural crest cells into and along the developing gut is not only an important developmental question, but also has important clinical significance.
Migratory pathway of GFP+ enteric neural crest cells in an E10.5 embryo.