Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 enhances the chondrogenesis of trunk neural crest cells: a possible gene regulatory network.

The neural crest (NC) is an embryonic cell population with high migratory capacity. It contributes to forming several organs and tissues, such as the craniofacial skeleton and the peripheral nervous system of vertebrates. Both pre-migratory and post-migratory NC cells are plastic, adopting multiple differentiation paths by responding to different inductive environmental signals. Cephalic neural crest cells (CNCCs) give rise to most of the cartilage and bone tissues in the head. On the other hand, the mesenchymal potential of trunk neural crest cells (TNCCs) is sparsely detected in some animal groups. The mesenchymal potential of TNCCs can be unveiled through specific environmental conditions of NC cultures. In this study, we present evidence that FGF8 treatment can foster increased chondrogenic differentiation of TNCCs, particularly during treatment at the migratory stage. Additionally, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis of TNCCs in the post-migratory stage, noting that exogenous FGF8 signaling can sustain multipotent status and, possibly, at the same time, a pro-cartilage regulatory gene network. Our results provide a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying chondrogenic differentiation from TNCCs.