TLS Online TPP Program

#Question id: 7110


What may be the molecular trigger that causes cells in the presomitic mesoderm to finally condense into somites?

#Unit 5. Developmental Biology
  1. A gradient of retinoic acid exists that emanates both anteriorly and posteriorly from the somites.

  2. The FGF gradient drops off in the region that is forming somites.

  3. Periodic waves of c-hairy1 are expressed in the presomitic mesoderm, such that cells in the more anterior somites will have been exposed to fewer waves of c-hairy1 than the cells in more posterior somites.

  4. Signaling from the receptor Notch is required for somite formation.