History of the study of the neural crest (review)

Abstract

The neural crest has long attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists and, more recently, clinical specialists, as research in recent decades has significantly expanded the boundaries of knowledge about the involvement of neural crest and neural crest cells in the development of human pathology. The neural crest and neural crest cells are a unique evolutionarily based embryonic structure. Its discovery completely changed the view of the process of embryogenesis. Knowledge of neural crest development sheds light on many of the most «established» questions of developmental biology and evolution. Our article will reflect on the historical stages of the discovery and study of the neural crest and the impact of this discovery on entrenched ideas about germ layer specificity and the theory of germ layers – the reasoning of the neural crest as the fourth germ layer. The aim of this review is to describe the history of the discovery and study of neural crest and neural crest cells based on an analysis of the literature. In writing this article, an analysis of the scientific literature was conducted using the search terms «neural crest», «neural crest cells», «neural crest cell morphology», «germinal layers» and «embryonic development» in the computer databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and eLibrary. The depth of the analytical search corresponds to the period of the discovery of the neural crest and the first mention of the neural crest as an embryonic morphological structure in the scientific literature. The information presented confirms the high interest of research scientists and clinical specialists in the study of neural crest and neural crest cells. The involvement of neural crest cells in the formation of somatic and musculoskeletal pathologies has received particular attention in recent decades. The literature sources are represented by 169 full-text manuscripts and monographs mainly in English. Conclusions. Neural crest and neural crest cells are unique evolutionary structures. Regularities of formation, reasons which condition migration, differentiation, interaction of neural crest cells with other structures during embryogenesis as well as their potential, which is realized in postnatal period, continue to be the subject of research up to now.