CARTILAGE FORMATION IN SOMITE GRAFTS OF CHICK BLASTODERM

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Abstract
Somite mesoderm of the trunk region of early chick embryos (8-20 somites) is capable of differentiating into skeletal tissue without the presence of neural tube and notochord. Such differentiation, however, can be achieved only when the somite mesoderm is transplanted in contact with either the overlying ectoderm or the underlying endoderm or both. Maximal differentiation of both cartilage and skeletal muscle was obtained when the 2 associated germ layers were present. No experimental evidence could be obtained to indicate that the neural crest affects the formation of cartilage in grafts as cartilages formed equally as well in isolates removed before the neural crest had begun its migration from the neural tube as in those removed after migration had begun. Implications of these results are discussed.