EVOLUTION & DEVELOPMENT 5:2, 121–135 (2003) Early differentiation and migration of cranial neural crest in the opossum, Monodelphis domestica Janet L. Vaglia1 and Kathleen K. Smith* Department of Biology, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA *Author for correspondence (e-mail
[email protected]) 1Present address: Department of Biology, Depauw University, Greencastle, IN 46135, USA. SUMMARY Marsupial mammals are born at a highly altri- als. For example, as in other vertebrates, cranial neural crest cial state. Nonetheless, the neonate must be capable of con- differentiates at the neural ectoderm/epidermal boundary siderable functional independence. Comparative studies and migrates as three major streams. However, when com- have shown that in marsupials the morphogenesis of many pared with other vertebrates, a number of timing differences structures critical to independent function are advanced rela- exist. The onset of cranial neural crest migration is early rel- tive to overall development. Many skeletal and muscular ele- ative to both neural tube development and somite formation ments in the facial region show particular heterochrony. in Monodelphis. First arch neural crest cell migration is par- Because neural crest cells are crucial to forming and pattern- ticularly advanced and begins before any somites appear or ing much of the face, this study investigates whether the tim- regional differentiation exists in the neural tube. Our study ing of cranial neural crest differentiation is also advanced. provides the first published description of cranial neural crest Histology and scanning electron microscopy of Monodelphis differentiation and migration in marsupials and offers insight domestica embryos show that many aspects of cranial neural into how shifts in early developmental processes can lead to crest differentiation and migration are conserved in marsupi- morphological change.