Question

Neural crest (NC) cells are often categorized as stem cells. What stem cell description would be appropriate for NC cells: unipotent, multipotent, pluripotent or totipotent? And what characteristics of NC cells support your choice?

Answer 1

• Neural tube gives rise to neural stem cells (NCC's) which are transient and migratory in nature.
• In neural tube, neural plate border specifies NCC's, neural plate border on stimulation with Wnt, Delta/Notch and BMP by interaction between tissues of neural plate and surface ectoderm induces differentiation into NCC's.
• Neural crest cells are multipotent stem cells as they are capable of self renewing themselves and differentiate into multiple cell types based on the tissue or organ in which they are present.
• Cranial, cardiac, trunk and vagal segments of neuraxis are origins of NCC's.
• NCC's give rise to ectodermal (Schwann cells, sensory neurons) and mesodermal derivates.
• Cranial NCCs represent multipotency of neura crest stem cells which differentiate to form nerve ganglia, connective tissue, bones and cartilage and pigment cells.

Neural crest stem cells are not unipotent because they can give rise to more than one type of cells ( and unipotent stem cells are capable of differentiating into a single cell type) and not pluripotent as they are not capable of forming structures derived from all three germ layers, endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm and are capable of forming ectodermal and mesodermal structures (as pluripotent cells are capable of forming All The structures which are derived from the three germ layers in the developing embryo).