Chapter 8 Cell Division, Differentiation, and Death in Avian Embryos

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes methods for studying cell death, proliferation, and differentiation in chicken embryos. The development of any organism is controlled precisely by a coordinated set of patterning, proliferation, survival, and differentiation signals. The study of these events has progressed from careful cytological studies to more sophisticated use of antibodies and enzymatic markers. Each technique has built on previous observations and improves specificity and sensitivity of analysis. The development of multiple antibodies that is specific for cell proliferation and cell death detection, combined with markers for progenitor and mature cell types, allow for a great deal of information to be gleaned from developing chick embryos, both as whole mount and in sections. Cell death is an important part of normal development, as demonstrated by abnormal phenotypes seen when cell death is misregulated. Among other places, developmental cell death is needed for the normal development of the brain, for sculpting tissues such as the digits, as well as pruning the number of sensory neurons to match the field of innervation. The total number of cells in a tissue or culture system is a product of the combination of cell survival and proliferation.