Neural tube morphogenesis begins by rolling up a flat neural plate into a hollow tube (primary neurulation) or by hollowing out a solid neural rod (secondary neurulation). Defects in these processes result in neural tube closure defects, one of the leading causes of birth defects, affecting 1-5/1000 human pregnancies. Despite its significance to human congenital disorders, the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic bases of neural tube morphogenesis remain largely unknown.
Our understanding of the genetic bases of neural tube closure continues to advance with >240 genes currently known to underlie neural tube closure defects. Unfortunately, our understanding of the cellular, morphogenetic, and epigenetic bases of neural tube closure lags significantly behind our understanding of its genetic bases.
Folate supplementation remains one of the few therapeutic intervention strategies in the prevention of neural tube defects. While the mechanisms underlying its efficacy in preventing NTDs are known to be related to DNA methylation, very little is known about the epigenetic mechanisms that might regulate neural tube closure.
In this Research Topic, we hope to remedy these deficits in the literature by soliciting research articles that focus on the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic bases of neural tube morphogenesis in a variety of organisms.
The aim of our Research Topic Proposal is to present novel research in the field of neural tube morphogenesis. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic will include, but are not limited to:
• Time-lapse analyses of cell behaviours associated with neural tube morphogenesis with an emphasis on gene-cell behaviour relationships.
• Cytoskeletal rearrangements and cell shape changes that underlie neural tube morphogenesis in model and non-model organisms.
• The role of cell divisions, cell proliferation and cell death in sculpting a neural tube.
• The role of the apicobasal and planar cell polarity pathways in regulating neural tube closure.
• The role of epigenetic mechanisms underlying neural tube closure.
Neural tube morphogenesis begins by rolling up a flat neural plate into a hollow tube (primary neurulation) or by hollowing out a solid neural rod (secondary neurulation). Defects in these processes result in neural tube closure defects, one of the leading causes of birth defects, affecting 1-5/1000 human pregnancies. Despite its significance to human congenital disorders, the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic bases of neural tube morphogenesis remain largely unknown.
Our understanding of the genetic bases of neural tube closure continues to advance with >240 genes currently known to underlie neural tube closure defects. Unfortunately, our understanding of the cellular, morphogenetic, and epigenetic bases of neural tube closure lags significantly behind our understanding of its genetic bases.
Folate supplementation remains one of the few therapeutic intervention strategies in the prevention of neural tube defects. While the mechanisms underlying its efficacy in preventing NTDs are known to be related to DNA methylation, very little is known about the epigenetic mechanisms that might regulate neural tube closure.
In this Research Topic, we hope to remedy these deficits in the literature by soliciting research articles that focus on the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic bases of neural tube morphogenesis in a variety of organisms.
The aim of our Research Topic Proposal is to present novel research in the field of neural tube morphogenesis. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic will include, but are not limited to:
• Time-lapse analyses of cell behaviours associated with neural tube morphogenesis with an emphasis on gene-cell behaviour relationships.
• Cytoskeletal rearrangements and cell shape changes that underlie neural tube morphogenesis in model and non-model organisms.
• The role of cell divisions, cell proliferation and cell death in sculpting a neural tube.
• The role of the apicobasal and planar cell polarity pathways in regulating neural tube closure.
• The role of epigenetic mechanisms underlying neural tube closure.
