Neural crest embryology

My recent internet search reconfirms the comments made in my earlier blog that the islet cells in the pancreas were of neural origin and therefore the treatment and/or management of any pathology of these cells including cancer should be approached from the category of "Diseases of the Nervous System ". Also surgeons doing islet transplantation should be aware that they are doing transplants of brain tissue - except in a location where lymphocytes are readily available to trigger the homograft rejection reaction.

Some of other adult tissues which have their origin in the neural crest of the developing embryo include melanocytes situated in the basal layer of the ectoderm and the medullary or chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland which produces adrenalin. Embryologists consider the medullary cells to be modified neurons which have lost both their axons and dendritic components! For example hypersecretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine by the medullary cells (chromaffin cells) of the adrenal glands are called pheochromacytoma tumors . These tumors may also be located in other tissues or glands besides the adrenal.

By searching the internet the reader will note that there are many other cells and tissues which are derived from the neural crest including post gangiolic cells of the parasympathetic nervous system, craniofascial cartilage, enteric neurones and glia cells.