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neural crest cell maturation vs. specific cell type differentiation
dhowe at cs.uoregon.edu
Thu Mar 16 12:29:57 PST 2006
Well stated David!
The thing that I'm still not clear on then is what the "X cell
maturation" terms are representing.
X cell maturation would be defined as :
The process leading to the attainment of the full functional capacity of
an X cell. This process is independent of morphogenetic change.
While X cell development would be defined as:
The process aimed at the progression of a y cell over time, from initial
commitment of the cell to a specific fate, to the fully functional
Can you clarify the distinction...maybe using neural crest cells as an
example? (sounds like a thesis defense question!)
David Hill wrote:
> In general derivatives are considered as separate cell types. So, when
> a neural crest cell migrates to where it is going and it is receiving
> signals about what it is going to become, it is being committed to
> become another cell type. This process, as GO defines it, is part of
> the differentiation of that other cell type, not part of the
> maturation of the neural crest cell. Although the line between when
> one cell begins and another ends is fuzzy, if we start to try to
> represent cell lineages in the process ontology, we run into huge
> issues. The most obvious ones are things like "Is the differentiation
> of a pigment cell part of the development of a neural crest cell
> because it happens to the neural crest cell, or is the development of
> a neural crest cell part of the differentiation of a pigment cell
> because it needs to happen for the pigment cell to differentiate. For
> this reason, we keep the lineage relationships out of the ontology.
> The lineage relationships are captured in the cell type ontology. At
> some point, we can use the two ontologies to derive both the processes
> and the lineages. So, for example, if a pigement cell develops only
> from a neural crest cell in the cell ontology, then we can define the
> process of pigment cell fate commitment as the process by which a
> neural crest cell becomes committed to form a pigment cell.
> Melissa Haendel wrote:
>> Hi, I wanted to send this set of questions separately than my
>> previous email as I think they will require discussion.
>> I need a term that represents the final stages of neural crest cell
>> differentiation into their derivatives. I could annotate to pigment
>> cell differentiation, etc, but it would be better to say that all
>> derivatives don't begin their differentiation. Once neural crest
>> cells begin to differentiate into their derivatives, they are no
>> longer called neural crest cells. So, would the term "neural crest
>> cell maturation' with the following definition work? "The process
>> leading to the attainment of the full functional capacity of a neural
>> crest cell derivative. This process is independent of morphogenetic
>> change." I have added the word derivative, but I don't know if this
>> will fly. Thought I would email the listserve for advice before
>> making a request.
>> How have any of you dealt with differentiation into derivative cell
>> types with different names in the past?
>> Any advice is much appreciated.
>> Thanks, Melissa Haendel
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