Is gastrulation the most important time in your life?

Abstract

Gastrulation is considered a fundamental process of metazoan embryogenesis, as the layers that give place to all body parts are laid down by extensive cell movements and cell differentiation. It is commonly thought that gastrulation establishes the entire body axis. The discovery of neuromesodermal progenitors is challenging this view. These cells keep their pluripotency after gastrulation and they are able to differentiate into ectoderm (neural tube) and mesoderm derivatives (paraxial mesoderm, notochord) directly, without passing through a germ layer intermediate. They contribute to the elongation of the body axis and could play a key role in the evolution of the chordate body plan.