Induction and differentiation of the neural crest

The neural crest is a population of cells that forms at the junction betwee n the epidermis and neural plate in vertebrate embryos. Recent progress has elucidated the identity and timing of molecular events responsible for the earliest steps in neural crest development, particularly those involving t he induction and its migration. Concomitantly, advances have been made in t he identification, purification and generation of neural crest stem cells a t various developmental stages that deepens our understanding of the plasti city and restriction of neural crest differentiation.