A radioautographic analysis of the migration and fate of cells derived from the occipital somites in the chick embryo with specific reference to the development of the hypoglossal musculature.

The migration pattern and fate of cells of the occipital somites and overlying ectoderm have been described for the chick embryo with particular reference to the development of the hypoglossal musculature. Tritium-labelled thymidine (0·5–10 µCi per egg) was used as a cell-specific marker. Occipital somites (2–5) with overlying ectoderm were transplanted orthotopically from labelled donor embryos to unlabelled host embryos (Hamburger & Hamilton, stage 9–10). The embryos were incubated, for varying lengths of time (24 h-5 days), sacrificed, sectioned and the migration pattern and fate of the labelled cells determined radioautographically. It appears that the hypoglossal as well as other hypopharyngeal musculature originates from the occipital somites. The mesodermal migration pattern extended from the occipital somite region in a ventroposterior direction to the dorsal surface of the pericardial cavity posterior to the expanded portion of the pharynx. At this position a so-called hypoglossal cord formed on each side which ran anteriorly to the level of the second pharyngeal pouch where it turned medially and together with the cord from the other side entered the pharyngeal area of the embryo. This material apparently forms the intrinsic musculature of the tongue. The mesodermal movements are attributed to differential growth movements of the areas concerned as well as to active cell mutiplication and migration. Selective embryonic neuronal staining was undertaken to study the relationship between the migrating hypoglossal cord and nerve. The cord preceded the nerve in its migration. There is an occipital somitic contribution to the primitive meninx, to the endothelial walls of developing blood vessels, possibly to microglial cells and to the cartilage surrounding the notocord. The occipital ectoderm expands dorso-anteriorly and ventro-laterally. In the ventro-lateral position as contact is made with the pharyngeal endoderm a placode is formed which contributes cells to the nodose ganglion of the tenth cranial nerve. There is no other contribution of the ectoderm to the underlying tissues.