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Face cells have different origins, study says
The study found different origins for cells that make facial skeletal tissue and pigment cells
by Talia Schmidt | News Reporter
A recent University study found different origins for stem cells that become skeletal tissue and those that develop into nervous system and pigment cells - findings that could change the way scientists look at facial development and zero in on the causes of certain defects.
University biology professor emeritus James Weston published his findings last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , a scientific journal dedicated to reporting the most up-to-date research. The article explains in detail Weston's recent discovery.
Traditional wisdom states that skeletal and connective tissue of the head and face come from a population of cells called neural crest cells. Prior research also states that the neural crest gives rise to a wide array of other stem cells that travel to places within the vertebrate embryo, where they create the cells that become the peripheral nervous system and pigment cells in skin and hair.
When Weston became puzzled over inconsistent findings involving cell lineage, he sought to understand early development of the neural crest in an attempt to explore alternative explanations for these sometimes different outcomes in the lab. In experimenting with mice, he noted that mutations in the mice that adversely affected the development of the peripheral system and pigmentation did not seem to affect the face structure, whereas mutations that caused abnormal development of facial skeletal tissue did not affect pigment or peripheral nervous system cells, which originate in the neural crest.
Weston said this paradox led him to wonder if the cells came from different, distinct cell populations.
After a lengthy research and verification process, Weston discovered and wrote in his article that connective and skeletal tissues of the face and skull actually come from a distinct, thin layer of epidermal epithelial cells next to the neural crest.
University biology professor Judith Eisen, who has worked with Weston, agreed that the findings are considered significant to the research world.
"It was historically thought that the skeleton of the face derived from the neural crest," said Eisen.
But as Weston and his colleagues recently discovered in research, this may not be the case.
Eisen said she couldn't figure out how this crucial distinction had been missed for so many years.
"People missed it because both of these cell populations come out at about the same time, and they're mixed together," said Eisen.
Eisen said the mixed population of cells includes both facial skeleton-producing cells and nervous system- and pigment-producing cells. It was difficult to tell which cell type came from where when scientists conducted experiments after the cell populations had already developed together, she said.
"If that's when you do the experiment, you miss it," said Eisen.
Eisen said Weston and his researchers had "an inkling" to go back and conduct an experiment at the stage before the cells had already mixed, thinking maybe the cells had distinct populations. The inkling turned into a reality once the experiment results came back.
According to Eisen, Weston and his researchers had to find a way to tell the cells apart. Researchers used molecula markers, which can be any kind of molecule that's expressed by a cell, to do this. And because cells don't have a color, the research team used antibodies to stain the cells a specific color.
Eisen said she thinks this issue could be controversial and that other labs around the country are going to want to perform similar or follow-up experiments to see what the ramifications are.
University spokesman Jim Barlow said he admires Weston for his work in the field and his ability to share science with students.
"He's a very good teacher," said Barlow. "If I had had him as a teacher, I might have become a biologist."
Barlow said he'd be interested to learn about how these recent findings will affect future research and whether there are ramifications for targeted therapies.
Barlow added that Weston's work challenges traditional textbook information that has been accepted for years.
Of Weston's article, Eisen said publishing in the PNAS journal is no small feat.
"It's very prestigious," said Eisen of PNAS. "People all around the world will be reading this paper."
tschmidt@dailyemerald.com
University biology professor emeritus James Weston published his findings last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , a scientific journal dedicated to reporting the most up-to-date research. The article explains in detail Weston's recent discovery.
Traditional wisdom states that skeletal and connective tissue of the head and face come from a population of cells called neural crest cells. Prior research also states that the neural crest gives rise to a wide array of other stem cells that travel to places within the vertebrate embryo, where they create the cells that become the peripheral nervous system and pigment cells in skin and hair.
When Weston became puzzled over inconsistent findings involving cell lineage, he sought to understand early development of the neural crest in an attempt to explore alternative explanations for these sometimes different outcomes in the lab. In experimenting with mice, he noted that mutations in the mice that adversely affected the development of the peripheral system and pigmentation did not seem to affect the face structure, whereas mutations that caused abnormal development of facial skeletal tissue did not affect pigment or peripheral nervous system cells, which originate in the neural crest.
Weston said this paradox led him to wonder if the cells came from different, distinct cell populations.
After a lengthy research and verification process, Weston discovered and wrote in his article that connective and skeletal tissues of the face and skull actually come from a distinct, thin layer of epidermal epithelial cells next to the neural crest.
University biology professor Judith Eisen, who has worked with Weston, agreed that the findings are considered significant to the research world.
"It was historically thought that the skeleton of the face derived from the neural crest," said Eisen.
But as Weston and his colleagues recently discovered in research, this may not be the case.
Eisen said she couldn't figure out how this crucial distinction had been missed for so many years.
"People missed it because both of these cell populations come out at about the same time, and they're mixed together," said Eisen.
Eisen said the mixed population of cells includes both facial skeleton-producing cells and nervous system- and pigment-producing cells. It was difficult to tell which cell type came from where when scientists conducted experiments after the cell populations had already developed together, she said.
"If that's when you do the experiment, you miss it," said Eisen.
Eisen said Weston and his researchers had "an inkling" to go back and conduct an experiment at the stage before the cells had already mixed, thinking maybe the cells had distinct populations. The inkling turned into a reality once the experiment results came back.
According to Eisen, Weston and his researchers had to find a way to tell the cells apart. Researchers used molecula markers, which can be any kind of molecule that's expressed by a cell, to do this. And because cells don't have a color, the research team used antibodies to stain the cells a specific color.
Eisen said she thinks this issue could be controversial and that other labs around the country are going to want to perform similar or follow-up experiments to see what the ramifications are.
University spokesman Jim Barlow said he admires Weston for his work in the field and his ability to share science with students.
"He's a very good teacher," said Barlow. "If I had had him as a teacher, I might have become a biologist."
Barlow said he'd be interested to learn about how these recent findings will affect future research and whether there are ramifications for targeted therapies.
Barlow added that Weston's work challenges traditional textbook information that has been accepted for years.
Of Weston's article, Eisen said publishing in the PNAS journal is no small feat.
"It's very prestigious," said Eisen of PNAS. "People all around the world will be reading this paper."
tschmidt@dailyemerald.com
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