Elsevier

Mechanisms of Development

Volume 163, September 2020, 103617
Mechanisms of Development

Mouse gastrulation: Coordination of tissue patterning, specification and diversification of cell fate

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Highlights

  • During gastrulation pluripotent epiblast generates the three definitive germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm.

  • Gastrulation initiates at the posteriorly positioned primitive streak, from which nascent mesoderm and endoderm cells emerge.

  • A spatiotemporally controlled sequence of events results in the generation and positioning of organ progenitors.

  • The embryonic axial coordinate system and the integration of multiple signals by epiblast cells is key to specify cell fates.

  • Signaling domains evolve as the anterior-posterior axis is established and the embryo grows in size.

Abstract

During mouse embryonic development a mass of pluripotent epiblast tissue is transformed during gastrulation to generate the three definitive germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. During gastrulation, a spatiotemporally controlled sequence of events results in the generation of organ progenitors and positions them in a stereotypical fashion throughout the embryo. Key to the correct specification and differentiation of these cell fates is the establishment of an axial coordinate system along with the integration of multiple signals by individual epiblast cells to produce distinct outcomes. These signaling domains evolve as the anterior-posterior axis is established and the embryo grows in size. Gastrulation is initiated at the posteriorly positioned primitive streak, from which nascent mesoderm and endoderm progenitors ingress and begin to diversify. Advances in technology have facilitated the elaboration of landmark findings that originally described the epiblast fate map and signaling pathways required to execute those fates. Here we will discuss the current state of the field and reflect on how our understanding has shifted in recent years.

Keywords

Mouse development
Axis patterning
Gastrulation
Cell fate specification
Organogenesis

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