RESUMO
AIM: To investigate the role of N-cadherin in the delamination of neural crest cells. METHODS: The normal expression of N-cadherin in neural tube was identified using in situ hybridization. The cells with N-cadherin over expression were obtained by transfection of wild-type N-cadherin (wt-N-cadherin) ,and the cells with N-cadherin silencing expression were obtained by transfection of dominant-negative N-cadherin (dn-N-cadherin). The migration of cranial neural crest cells was determined by the technique of immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Either overexpression or down-regulation of N-cadherin significantly affected the migration of cranial neural crest cells. CONCLUSION: Delamination and migration of the cranial neural crest cells rely on the relative N-cadherin expression in the neural tube during neurulation.