Int. J. Dev. Biol. 62: 79 - 84 (2018)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.170290yt

Vol 62, Issue 1-2-3

Special Issue: The Chick Embryo Model System

Coordination between body growth and tissue growth: Wolffian duct elongation and somitogenesis proceed in harmony with axial growth

Published: 14 March 2018

Yoshiko Takahashi*^,1,2, Ryo Kudo¹, Ryosuke Tadokoro¹ and Yuji Atsuta

^1,#1Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto and ²AMED Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

During embryogenesis, different tissues develop coordinately, and this coordination is often in harmony with body growth. Recent studies allow us to understand how this harmonious regulation is achieved at the levels of inter-cellular, inter-tissue, and tissue-body relationships. Here, we present an overview of recently revealed mechanisms by which axial growth (tail growth) drives a variety of morphogenetic events, with a focus on the coordinated progression between Wolffian (nephric) duct elongation and somitogenesis. We also discuss how we can relate this coordination to the events occurring during limb bud outgrowth, since the limb buds and tail bud are appendage anlagen acquired during vertebrate evolution, both of which undergo massive elongation/outgrowth.

Keywords

Wolffian duct, somitogenesis, body axis, chemoattraction, FGF8, limb bud, Hox gene