Lecture 2: Advanced Techniques in Developmental Biology

What are the sources of morphogens in the neural type?

Floor and roof plate cells

How are progenitor cells defined in the spinal cord?

Through a complex transcriptional profile

What practical limitations have affected the study of transcription factors (TF) in the nervous system?

Time and cost

How many major dorsal progenitors are there in the spinal cord?

6 Signup and view all the answers

What method is used to directly detect the protein in a cell?

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Signup and view all the answers

What does in situ hybridization (In Situ) pick up?

The mRNA for a protein Signup and view all the answers

What defines the very early neural tube in the developing spinal cord?

The core region Signup and view all the answers

How many main progenitor types are there within each part of the developing CNS?

Broadly defined Signup and view all the answers

What has practical reasons limited in the work on transcription factors (TF)?

The ability to look at only 1 or 2 TF at a time Signup and view all the answers

What is the current model for the developing spinal cord?

The core region defines the early neural tube and the bands define the groups of progenitor cells Signup and view all the answers

What is the framework provided by the classic studies in the spinal cord?

To answer the question: ‘How is the CNS built’. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus when characterizing the developing progenitor cells?

Identifying the transcription factor codes that define them. Signup and view all the answers

In what way do progenitor cell transcriptional profiles change over time?

Progenitor cells slowly differentiate and commit to some proliferation to differentiate into a particular cell. Signup and view all the answers

What is the aim of understanding where the progenitor cells are born relative to surrounding tissues?

To understand the surrounding tissues that instruct their development. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of characterizing the function of TFs (transcription factors)/signaling ligands within the developing cells?

To differentiate the cells into distinct classes of neurons. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of using particular TF in the early stages of development?

It helps define the progenitor cells. Signup and view all the answers