Poster #007
Visualizing Sox10+ Neural Crest Cells Using Light-Sheet Microscopy
Mentors: Hazel Salunga, PhD; Sanjeev Ranade, PhD
Down syndrome (DS), resulting from trisomy of chromosome 21, is a major cause of birth defects and is present in ~1:800 children in the US. All children with DS exhibit craniofacial abnormalities and approximately 50% are born with congenital heart defects (CHDs). Both craniofacial and cardiac structures are partially derived from neural crest cells (NCCs), a migratory stem cell population essential for development. Disruption of NCC migration has been proposed as a common mechanism underlying these defects. Here, we hypothesize that altered NCC migration contributes to developmental abnormalities in DS. We used light-sheet microscopy combined with RNAscope to visualize NCC progenitors, marked by Sox10, in wildtype E11.5 mouse embryos. This approach enabled us to make a 3D reference map of normal NCC migration. These results establish a platform for studying NCC dynamics over multiple timepoints in embryonic development in the context of DS and other congenital disorders.