This page contains movies and animations to illustrate various aspects of neural development.
There are 2 ways to watch each movie. Either click the image or text link to open a new page with both the movie and a more detailed text description of features that can be seen. Or click the link below the images and text labelled Quicktime with the movie name and (file size) will open only the movie in a new window.
Page Links: Introduction | Human Embryology | Neural Tube Migration | Neural Plate | Neural Crest | Glossary |
Other Pages: Neural Notes | Neural Crest Notes
Notochord (179Kb)
Notochord (111Kb)
Neural Plate (468Kb)
Neurulation (468Kb)
Secondary Neurulation (561Kb)
Movie of neural tube cell migration.
A scattered labeled sheet of cells migrate to the right toward the midline (a line from top to bottom to the right of the labeled patch) beneath the recently fused epidermis. Over the course of the timelapse sequence the labeled cells converge on the midline. During this convergence the sheet also extends along the axis. The contiguously labelled sheet extends and is broken apart as unlabeled cells intercalate between labeled cells. Such sequences are characteristic of "convergent extension" movements.
Neural movie kindly provided by Lance Davidson.
Quicktime: d2.mov (2.4 Mb)
Labelled neural crest cell migration at level of Rhombomere 4 into a pharyngeal arch.
Quicktime: ba2qt2.mov (391 Kb)
Labelled neural crest cell migration at level of Rhombomere 4 into a pharyngeal arch.
Additional neural crest migration movies.
In ovo time-lapse analysis of chick hindbrain neural crest cell migration
Staudt N, Houart C.
The Prethalamus Is Established during Gastrulation and Influences Diencephalic Regionalization. PLoS Biol. 2007 Mar 6;5(4):e69
PLoS Biology Link
Movement of Nuclei in Early Stages of Neural Rod Formation
Time-lapse analysis from early tailbud stage to 5-somite stage, dorsal view, anterior to the left. Mosaic labelling of nuclei with RFP (red) in her5pac:egfp (green) transgenic embryo.
"The vertebrate neural plate contains distinct domains of gene expression, prefiguring the future brain areas. In this study, we draw an extended expression map of the rostral neural plate that reveals discrete domains inside the presumptive posterior forebrain."
Aigouy B, Lepelletier L, Giangrande A. Glial chain migration requires pioneer cells. J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 5;28(45):11635-41
Movie to be added to page - Glial Migration| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Numbers |
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UNSW Embryology has many movies to show some of the dynamic changes that occur during embryonic development. These have been grouped together on separate pages (listed in righthand menu) that can be also be opened from a pull down menu on each page.
Internet users note that some of these movies are large and will take some time to download depending on your connection speed.
Both Mac and PC computers require the Quicktime plug-in to be present in your browser or on your computer.
CD users can find Quicktime on the CD or the latest version can be downloaded from here Quicktime
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.