RETINOIC ACID AND MAMMALIAN CRANIOFACIAL MORPHOGENESIS

Retinoic acid is a morphogenetic signalling molecule in vertebrate emb ryos, one being known to perform a specific function in organizing the body pattern along the anteroposterior axis. This molecule has especi ally attracted research attention because retinoic acid treatment will also induce abnormal morphogenesis, particularly in the craniofacial structures. The present review discusses recent molecular insights rev ealing how the retinoic acid signal is transduced within a cell, speci fically focusing on the involvement of cranial neural crest cells in r etinoic acid-induced abnormal morphogenesis in the mammalian head.