Tempting fate: Neural crest induction along the body axis

Neural crest induction begins at the neural plate border and involves the intricate interplay of signaling and transcriptional events. In this review, we examine the literature on neural crest induction, focusing primarily on the chick model due to the extended time during which the induction process occurs. While it is well-established that induction initiates during mid-gastrulation, evidence from tissue recombination and transcriptomic analyses suggests that the process continues until neural tube closure. Along the body axis, distinct neural crest populations with varying developmental potentials emerge in a rostral to caudal progression. Testing axial level differences has revealed axial level specific subcircuits that influence region-specific neural crest cell fate decision, though what leads to axial level specification remains unknown.