Structures In Vertebrates Research Articles

Evolution and development of parrot pseudoteeth.

Parrot embryos carry peculiar appendages at their developing beak that have been described as pseudoteeth. To better characterize the pattern of development responsible for the emergence of these dental appendages, we examined parrot embryos combining conventional histology and microtomography approaches. Using immunohistochemistry, we observed the epithelial and mesenchymal expression of several proteins involved in tooth development in mammals. Parrot pseudoteeth arose by epithelial and mesenchymal evagination, and their early development was similar to the ontogeny of scales and feathers. There was no enamel tissue, and the evaginations were surrounded by the rhamphotheca. In adults, the rhamphotheca covers entirely the appendages, now represented by bone evaginations, which were more numerous in the lower than in the upper beak, being similar to the osseous teeth of the fossil Pelagornithidae. These embryonic pseudoteeth resembled reptile's first-generation teeth and dental appendages of chicken talpid2 mutants. Proteins involved in mammalian odontogenesis, such as SHH, BMP4, PITX2, and PAX9, were found to be generally expressed in beak epithelium and mesenchyme during parrot pseudoteeth development, with clusters of high-level expression in the pseudoteeth rudiments. This suggests that a similar, highly conserved gene expression program gives rise to the appearance of odontode derivatives in numerous species, despite their divergent developmental paths. These results provide new insights into the development and evolution of odontode-derived structures in vertebrates.

The rank abundance distribution of large-bodied vertebrates from Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming

Natural Trap Cave (NTC) is a well-known fossil locality located in Wyoming that contains a discontinuous record of sediments from the early Sangamonian (∼150 ka) to the present and produces a diverse vertebrate assemblage from 2-9 and 23–47 cal ka BP. This study examines changes in the rank abundance distribution (RAD) of NTC's large-bodied (>8 kg) vertebrates, to assess the stability of the local ecosystem surrounding the cave across the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition. RADs were generated based on 2208 skeletal elements from four stratigraphic units, collected by Gilbert and Martin from 1974 to 1979. All bones included in this study had: a north-west grid coordinate, a known depth below the sediment surface, were over 20% complete and taxonomically diagnostic. Isotaphonomy was assessed using multinomial regressions of %MAU against multiple taphonomic variables: size, shape, degree of abrasion and weathering, fracture type, percent complete, original bulk density, and surface area to volume ratio. Changes in RADs were analyzed using rank abundance curves (RACs), Wilcoxon Rank Sums test, and kurtosis. RADs were also fit to a suite of standard ecological models (i.e., geometric, log-series, zero-sum multinomial, & log-normal) using maximum likelihood and the Akaike Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc). The four faunal assemblages show little variation in taphonomic biasing, so any changes in the RADs reflects changes in the ecosystem. The four RACs showed little change in their shape or faunal composition and are dominated by a few abundant taxa, representing an ecosystem that experienced perturbations (i.e., a concave RAC and a kurtosis value > 3). The Wilcoxon Rank Sums test found no statistical difference among the RADs from the lower three stratigraphic units. This means that the abundance structure of the large-bodied vertebrates did not change prior to (35.8–25.3 cal ka BP) or during the Last Glacial Maximum (25.3–17.2 cal ka BP) and the local ecosystem surrounding NTC never approached equilibrium. The uppermost stratigraphic unit represented a mixed Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene assemblage, so changes in ecosystem structure from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene (10.5 cal ka BP – present) cannot be evaluated. Unfortunately, the ecological models used in this study provide little insight into the maturity or processes influencing the formation of the local ecosystem surrounding NTC because only three models produced a ΔAICc value between 4.4 and 6.7.

Hunting pressure modulates the composition and size structure of terrestrial and arboreal vertebrates in Amazonian forests

Overhunting is a leading contemporary driver of tropical forest wildlife loss. The absence or extremely low densities of large-bodied vertebrates disrupts plant-animal mutualisms and consequently degrades key ecosystem services. Understanding patterns of defaunation is therefore crucial given that most tropical forests worldwide are now “half-empty”. Here we investigate changes in vertebrate community composition and size structure along a gradient of marked anthropogenic hunting pressure in the Médio Juruá region of western Brazilian Amazonia. Using a novel camera trapping grid design deployed both in the understorey and the forest canopy, we estimated the aggregate biomass of several functional groups of terrestrial and arboreal species at 28 sites along the hunting gradient. Generalized linear models (GLMs) identified hunting pressure as the most important driver of aggregate biomass for game, terrestrial, and arboreal species, as well as nocturnal rodents, frugivores, and granivores. Local hunting pressure affected vertebrate community structure as shown by both GLM and ordination analyses. The size structure of vertebrate fauna changed in heavily hunted areas due to population declines in large-bodied species and apparent compensatory increases in nocturnal rodents. Our study shows markedly altered vertebrate community structure even in remote but heavily settled areas of continuous primary forest. Depletion of frugivore and granivore populations, and concomitant density-compensation by seed predators, likely affect forest regeneration in persistently overhunted tropical forests. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how cascading effects induced by historical defaunation operate, informing wildlife management policy in tropical peri-urban, rural and wilderness areas.

Anterior Hox Genes and the Process of Cephalization.

During evolution, bilateral animals have experienced a progressive process of cephalization with the anterior concentration of nervous tissue, sensory organs and the appearance of dedicated feeding structures surrounding the mouth. Cephalization has been achieved by the specialization of the unsegmented anterior end of the body (the acron) and the sequential recruitment to the head of adjacent anterior segments. Here we review the key developmental contribution of Hox1–5 genes to the formation of cephalic structures in vertebrates and arthropods and discuss how this evolved. The appearance of Hox cephalic genes preceded the evolution of a highly specialized head in both groups, indicating that Hox gene involvement in the control of cephalic structures was acquired independently during the evolution of vertebrates and invertebrates to regulate the genes required for head innovation.

The role of TGF-β2 in cartilage development and diseases.

Transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-β2) is recognized as a versatile cytokine that plays a vital role in regulation of joint development, homeostasis, and diseases, but its role as a biological mechanism is understood far less than that of its counterpart, TGF-β1. Cartilage as a load-resisting structure in vertebrates however displays a fragile performance when any tissue disturbance occurs, due to its lack of blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics. Recent reports have indicated that TGF-β2 is involved in the physiological processes of chondrocytes such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis, and the pathological progress of cartilage such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TGF-β2 also shows its potent capacity in the repair of cartilage defects by recruiting autologous mesenchymal stem cells and promoting secretion of other growth factor clusters. In addition, some pioneering studies have already considered it as a potential target in the treatment of OA and RA. This article aims to summarize the current progress of TGF-β2 in cartilage development and diseases, which might provide new cues for remodelling of cartilage defect and intervention of cartilage diseases.

Transitory and Vestigial Structures of the Developing Human Nervous System

As with many body organs, the human central nervous system contains many structures and cavities that may have had functions in embryonic and fetal life but are vestigial or atrophic at maturity. Examples are the septum pellucidum, remnants of the lamina terminalis, Cajal-Retzius neurons, induseum griseum, habenula, and accessory olfactory bulb. Other structures are transitory in fetal or early postnatal life, disappearing from the mature brain. Examples are the neural crest, subpial granular glial layer of Brun over cerebral cortex, radial glial cells, and subplate zone of cerebral cortex. At times persistent fetal structures that do not regress may cause neurological problems or indicate a pathologic condition, such as Blake pouch cyst. Transitory structures thus can become vestigial. Examples are an excessively wide cavum septi pellucidi, suprapineal recess of the third ventricle, trigeminal artery of the posterior fossa circulation, and hyaloid ocular artery. Arrested maturation might be considered another aspect of vestigial structure. An example is the persistent microcolumnar cortical architecture in focal cortical dysplasia type Ia, in cortical zones of chronic fetal ischemia, and in some metabolic/genetic congenital encephalopathies. Some transitory structures in human brain are normal adult structures in lower vertebrates. Recognition of transitory and vestigial structures by fetal or postnatal neuroimaging and neuropathologically enables better understanding of cerebral ontogenesis and avoids misinterpretations.

DLX Genes: Roles in Development and Cancer.

Simple SummaryDLX homeobox family genes encode transcription factors that have indispensable roles in embryonic and postnatal development. These genes are critically linked to the morphogenesis of craniofacial structures, branchial arches, forebrain, and sensory organs. DLX genes are also involved in postnatal homeostasis, particularly hematopoiesis and, when dysregulated, oncogenesis. DLX1/2, DLX3/4, and DLX5/6 exist as bigenes on different chromosomes, sharing intergenic enhancers between gene pairs, which allows orchestrated spatiotemporal expression. Genomic alterations of human DLX gene enhancers or coding sequences result in congenital disorders such as split-hand/foot malformation. Aberrant postnatal expression of DLX genes is associated with hematological malignancies, including leukemias and lymphomas. In several mouse models of T-cell lymphoma, Dlx5 has been shown to act as an oncogene by cooperating with activated Akt, Notch1/3, and/or Wnt to drive tumor formation. In humans, DLX5 is aberrantly expressed in lung and ovarian carcinomas and holds promise as a therapeutic target.Homeobox genes control body patterning and cell-fate decisions during development. The homeobox genes consist of many families, only some of which have been investigated regarding a possible role in tumorigenesis. Dysregulation of HOX family genes have been widely implicated in cancer etiology. DLX homeobox genes, which belong to the NK-like family, exert dual roles in development and cancer. The DLX genes are the key transcription factors involved in regulating the development of craniofacial structures in vertebrates. The three DLX bigenes have overlapping expression in the branchial arches. Disruption of DLX function has destructive consequences in organogenesis and is associated with certain congenital disorders in humans. The role of DLX genes in oncogenesis is only beginning to emerge. DLX2 diminishes cellular senescence by regulating p53 function, whereas DLX4 has been associated with metastasis in breast cancer. In human ovarian cancer cells, DLX5 is essential for regulating AKT signaling, thereby promoting cell proliferation and survival. We previously implicated Dlx5 as an oncogene in murine T-cell lymphoma driven by a constitutively active form of Akt2. In this mouse model, overexpression of Dlx5 was caused by a chromosomal rearrangement that juxtaposed the Tcr-beta promoter region near the Dlx5 locus. Moreover, transgenic mice overexpressing Dlx5, specifically in immature T-cells, develop spontaneous thymic lymphomas. Oncogenesis in this mouse model involves binding of Dlx5 to the Notch1 and Notch3 gene loci to activate their transcription. Dlx5 also cooperates with Akt signaling to accelerate lymphomagenesis by activating Wnt signaling. We also discuss the fact that human DLX5 is aberrantly expressed in several human malignancies.

CTPS forms the cytoophidium in zebrafish

Cytidine triphosphate synthase (CTPS) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of de novo CTP biosynthesis. An intracellular structure of CTPS, the cytoophidium, has been found in many organisms including prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Formation of the cytoophidium has been suggested to regulate the activity and stability of CTPS and may participate in certain physiological events. Herein, we demonstrate that both CTPS1a and CTPS1b in zebrafish are able to form the cytoophidium in cultured cells. A point mutation, H355A, abrogates cytoophidium assembly of zebrafish CTPS1a and CTPS1b. In addition, we show the presence of CTPS cytoophidia in multiple tissues of larval and adult fish under normal conditions, while treatment with a CTPS inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) can induce more cytoophidia in some tissues. Our findings reveal that forming the CTPS cytoophidium is a natural phenomenon of zebrafish and provide valuable information for future research on the physiological importance of this intracellular structure in vertebrates.

Design and experiments of a bio-inspired tensegrity spine robot for active space debris capturing

Aiming at active space debris capturing, this paper proposes a novel tensegrity spine robot, inspired by the structure and mechanism of vertebrates’ spine. It consists of a series of conical rigid elements, which are linked with springs and stabilized in a tension network. The continuous bending of the robot is achieved by the actuation of three sets of cables. A prototype is built and a closed-loop control method is proposed for proof-of-concept experiments, including bending motion control, capturing a non-cooperative target, and tests of load performance. The experimental results show that the proposed tensegrity spine robot has potential application prospects in space debris capturing.

Shrub density effects on the community structure and composition of a desert animal community

Positive interactions between shrubs and animals are frequent in desert ecosystems. Shrub canopies can provide refuge to some animal species from predators and shelter from stressful environmental conditions by ameliorating high temperatures through lowering the amplitude of variation. Consequently, there have been many contrasts of shrub versus open effects; however, we extend this approach further by testing these effects on a gradient of shrub densities in the Carrizo National Monument, California. We tested the hypothesis that shrub density is a landscape-level predictor of vertebrate community composition and structure. We used camera traps, transects and focal observations to estimate animal density and composition, alongside the deployment of temperature sensors. Plots were established within shrub patches ranging from 0 to 12 shrubs per 10 m radius. Plots with relatively higher shrub densities had increased abundance and richness of vertebrate animal species. Temperature and residual dry matter were also important mediators of animal density and richness. Shrub cover was also an important driver of animal communities but we propose that shrub density is a more rapid proxy for vegetation effects in deserts relevant to wildlife conservationists, and managers.

The origin and mechanisms of smooth muscle cell development in vertebrates

ABSTRACTSmooth muscle cells (SMCs) represent a major structural and functional component of many organs during embryonic development and adulthood. These cells are a crucial component of vertebrate structure and physiology, and an updated overview of the developmental and functional process of smooth muscle during organogenesis is desirable. Here, we describe the developmental origin of SMCs within different tissues by comparing their specification and differentiation with other organs, including the cardiovascular, respiratory and intestinal systems. We then discuss the instructive roles of smooth muscle in the development of such organs through signaling and mechanical feedback mechanisms. By understanding SMC development, we hope to advance therapeutic approaches related to tissue regeneration and other smooth muscle-related diseases.

Brain Reconstruction Across the Fish-Tetrapod Transition; Insights From Modern Amphibians

The fish-tetrapod transition (which incorporates the related fin-limb and water-land transitions) is celebrated as one of the most important junctions in vertebrate evolution. Sarcopterygian fishes (the “lobe-fins”) are today represented by lungfishes and coelacanths, but during the Paleozoic they were much more diverse. It was some of these sarcopterygians, a lineage of the tetrapodomorph fishes, that gave rise to tetrapods (terrestrial vertebrates with limbs bearing digits). This spectacular leap took place during the Devonian Period. Due to the nature of preservation, it is the hard parts of an animal’s body that are most likely to fossilize, while soft tissues such as muscular and brain tissues, typically fail to do so. Thus, our understanding of the adaptations of the hard skeletal structures of vertebrates is considerably greater than that of the soft tissue systems. Fortunately, the braincases of early vertebrates are often ossified and thereby have the potential to provide detailed morphological information. However, the correspondence between brain and endocast (an internal mold of the cavity) has historically been considered poor in most “lower” vertebrates and consequently neglected in such studies of brain evolution. Despite this, recent work documenting the spatial relationship in extant basal sarcopterygians (coelacanth, lungfish, axolotl, and salamander) has highlighted that this is not uniformly the case. Herein, we quantify and illustrate the brain-endocast relationship in four additional extant basal tetrapod exemplars: neobatrachian anurans (frogs) Breviceps poweri and Ceratophrys ornata; and gymnophionans (caecilians) Gegeneophis ramaswamii and Rhinatrema bivittatum. We show that anurans and caecilians appear to have brains that fill their endocasts to a similar degree to that of lungfishes and salamanders, but not coelacanth. Ceratophrys has considerably lower correspondence between the brain and endocast in the olfactory tract and mesencephalic regions, while Breviceps has low correspondence along its ventral endocranial margin. The brains of caecilians reflect their endocasts most closely (vol. ∼70%). The telencephalon is tightly fitted within the endocast in all four taxa. Our findings highlight the need to adequately assess the brain-endocast relationship in a broad range of vertebrates, in order to inform neural reconstructions of fossil taxa using the Extant Phylogenetic Bracket approach and future studies of brain evolution.

Применение ГИС-технологий в зоогеографическом картографировании (на примере Пермского края и города Перми)

Nowadays there is a lot of information about species composition, distribution and abundance of terrestrial vertebrates in the Perm Territory in different literature and departmental papers. Consolidation of data by creating the theme geodatabase and zoogeographical maps helps not only imagine the structure and distribution of vertebrates on the territory but also identify the main patterns of their habitat. There are some principles of designing and creating zoogeographical maps of the Perm Territory and Perm City which aim is to realize the two projects. They are considered in the article. The first project is the creation of zoogeographical chapter in the integrated geographical atlas of the Perm Territory; the second—is cartographic support for birding in Perm. The two projects are united by one theme of the given research. The thematic content of the maps is based on the scientific vertebrate system. All the 15 maps in the zoogeographical chapter are designed in such a way that they contain various maps on the given theme. There examined the principles of designing small-scale zoogeographical educational maps for different age groups (primary, secondary and higher education). Map-booklet “Birding in Perm” in scale 1:65,000 is designed for birdwatchers-beginners with no age limits. All maps are in ArcGIS 10.4.1. The improvement in methodology of creating zoogeographical maps and legends by implementation geoinformational technologies and computer processing expands the modern opportunities for thematic zoogeographical cartography.

Heterochrony of the Expression of Lanf and Foxg1 in the Lamprey Confirms the Appearance of the Telencephalon as an Evolutionarily Young Superstructure in the Central Nervous System of Vertebrates

One of the most important evolutionary innovations of vertebrates is a complexly structured telencephalon, which provides higher forms of nervous activity in animals and humans. This work is devoted to the study of the appearance of the telencephalon in the early stages of vertebrate evolution. At the same time, there is reason to believe that lampreys, due to their evolutionary antiquity, could retain some ancient expression patterns of genes that regulate the development of the brain in the very first vertebrates. The study of the features of spatio-temporal expression patterns of key genes that regulate the development of the forebrain in lampreys compared with other vertebrates can help to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the appearance and evolutionary development of this unique structure of vertebrates. This paper presents the results from analyzing the gene-expression dynamics of Lanf, FoxG1, Otx2, Goosecoid, and HoxB9 in the early stages of development of the European river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis. It was shown that lamprey genes involved in telencephalon differentiation (Lanf and FoxG1) exhibit heterochrony of expression compared with more evolutionarily advanced representatives of vertebrates. This fact confirms the idea that the telencephalon, being evolutionarily the youngest part of the brain, could appear in vertebrate ancestors as a superstructure in the late stages of their embryonic development.

Improving mesh generation in finite element analysis for functional morphology approaches

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool for functional morphology purposes. The accuracy of the final results depends on the mesh generation and the quality of the mesh. This is especially important in vertebrates as they present a complex biological structure, implying a complex geometry and, consequently, mesh generation should be performed with a consistent criterion. The aim of this paper is to discuss different ways to create a mesh of a vertebrate structure with different mesh generation methods and give recommendations on how to generate an efficient mesh without exceeding computational limits. Topics such as quality of the mesh, suitability of the mesh and reliability of the mesh are introduced to help the generation of the mesh. In this case, the use of convergence procedures assures the results of a computational solution and can be a good solution for the vertebrate models. The skull of a Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidiamus) is used as a case study

Embryonic Development of the Egyptian Fruit Bat Rousettus aegyptiacus (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Bats have evolved several unique morphological traits related to powered flight, such as wings, patagia, minute hindlimbs, large pinna, and a larynx specialised for echolocation. Studies of embryonic development in bats provide important insights into the mechanisms underlying the evolution of flight-related structures in vertebrates. Although embryonic development has been described in some bats species, only one species of Old World fruit bats (family Pteropodidae) has previously had its embryonic development examined. In this paper, we describe the embryonic development of the Egyptian fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus, ranging from middle pharyngula to just before birth. We compared the growth patterns during embryogenesis among nine bat species for which data on embryonic development have been obtained. We discovered that i) the crown-rump length (CRL) is almost equivalent among the bat species until stage 22, and ii) compared to other bat species examined, the growth rate rapidly and substantially increases in two pteropodid species (R. aegyptiacus and R. amplexicaudatus) after stage 22. In placental mammals, larger body size at birth is advantageous for postnatal survival. To obtain large adult body size, some pteropodid bats may accelerate their postnatal growth and take advantage of larger body size at birth.

Termiticidal activity of chitinase enzyme of Bacillus licheniformis, a symbiont isolated from the gut of Globitermes sulphureus worker

Abstract Chitinase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down glycosidic bonds in chitin. Chitin is a biopolymer that can be found in the exoskeleton of insects, fungi, yeast, and algae, and in the internal structures of other vertebrates. Bacillus licheniformis strain USMW10IK was isolated from the guts of Globitermes sulphureus workers. The production of chitinase was highest during the stationary phase (72–96 h of incubation) with the enzyme activity was 0.0057 U/mL – 0.0058 U/mL. The crude chitinase extracted after 72 h was used as biotermiticide against termite G. sulphureus. A pathogenic bioassay was done in four methods; no choice, treated sand medium, topical (Petri dish lined with filter paper), and topical (Petri dish lined with sterile sand). Termite mortality was observed for 24–48 h as the crude chitinase stability has decreased by 22.8% after 48 h. As a result, topical (Petri dish lined with filter paper) has caused significant termite mortality after 24 h and topical (Petri dish line with sterile sand) gave significant termite mortality after 48 h while no choice and sand treated medium gave no significant mortality. These findings suggest that chitinase is effective to be used as a biotermiticide when it directly contacts with the termite skin.

Variations versus Similarities in the Cerebellar Structure of Different Vertebrates: A Comparative Anatomical Study

Aim of work: To compare morphology of anterior cerebellar lobe's lobules: lobule III for hindlimb and lobules IV-V for forelimb movements among different vertebrates with emphasis on cerebellar structural-functional relationship. Material and Methods: Different adult vertebrates were used; from mammals: rat, cat, rabbit, cow, from avian: pigeon, bat and duck, from reptiles: snake, and from primates: human. Cerebella of all animals were examined for gross morphology and microscopic structure. In lobules III-IV-V, thicknesses of cerebellar cortical layers, Purkinje cell surface area, and Purkinje cell count were measured. Obtained data were statistically analyzed. Results: Snake׳s cerebellum didn't show foliations. Pigeon, duck and bat had large vermis with rudimentary cerebellar hemispheres. Rat, cat, rabbit and cow showed large complex foliations of cerebellar hemispheres and vermis. The human had massive cerebellar hemispheres and small vermis. Pigeon, duck and bat had well developed lobules IV-V and so did the cat. In contrast, rat and rabbit had well developed lobule III in comparison to lobules IV-V. In cow and human, lobules III-IV-V were well developed. Order of cerebellar cortical layers in different animals was similar. Significant differences were between lobule III and lobules IV-V in Purkinje cell count and cortical layers thickness following animals' behavior. In animals using hindlimbs more than forelimbs, mean numbers of those data showed significant increase in lobule III compared to lobules IV-V and vice versa. Conclusion: Variations in cerebellar morphology-structure are related to behavioral differences among animals. Degree of structural complexity of cerebellar lobules III-IV-V is related to limbs´ function.

Discovery of plywood structure in Sphenothallus from Gurovo Formation (Mississippian), Central Russia

Sphenothallus specimens are reported for the first time from the Mississippian of Central Russia. All Sphenothallus specimens have a phosphatic composition and a characteristic laminar structure, which is best observable in the thickened lateral parts of a tube. Most of the lamellae in the tube wall are straight, but some have a wavy morphology and a few are so wrinkled that they form hollow “ribs”. The wrinkled lamellae presumably had an originally higher organic content than the straight lamellae. There are borings on the surfaces of some lamellae that are similar in morphology to the bioerosional traces in various hard, biomineral substrates. Lamellae in the inner parts of the tube wall are composed of fibres. The fibres are parallel to the surface of the tube wall and in successive laminae they differ in orientation by irregularly varying angles. It is possible that the plywood microstructure in Sphenothallus was originally organic and was later phosphatized during fossilization. An alternative, but less likely explanation is that the plywood structure was originally mineralized and therefore is comparable to the phosphatic lamello-fibrillar structures of vertebrates.

PuraMatrix allows differentiation of a broad repertoire of neural and mesenchymal phenotypes from trunk neural crest.

The neural crest (NC) is a transitory embryonic structure of vertebrates that gives rise to an astonishing variety of derivatives, encompassing both neural and mesenchymal cell types. Neural crest cells (NCCs) are an excellent model to study how environmental factors modulate features such as cell multipotentiality and differentiation. Tests with multifunctional substrates that allow NCCs to express their full potential, while promoting cell subcloning, are needed to advance knowledge about NCC self-renewal and to foster future biotechnological approaches. Here we show that a self-assembled peptide named PuraMatrixTM is an excellent substrate that allows the differentiation of NCCs based on the identification of seven different cell types. Depending on the PuraMatrixTM concentration employed, different frequencies and quantities of a given cell type were obtained. It is noteworthy that an enormous quantity and diversity of mesenchymal phenotypes, such as chondrocytes, could be observed. The quantity of adipocytes and osteocytes also increased with the use of mesenchymal differentiation factors (MDF), but PuraMatrixTM alone can support the appearance of these mesenchymal cell types. PuraMatrixTM will promote advances in studies related to multipotentiality, self-renewal and control of NCC differentiation, since it is an extremely simple and versatile material which can be employed for both in vivo and in vitro experiments.