Embryonic induction

Embryonic induction describes the embryonic process in which one group of cells (the
inducing tissue) directs the development of another group of cells (the responding tissue).
Induction directs the development of various tissues and organs in most animal embryos;
for example, the eye lens and the heart.
In embryo development, Induction is the first process then proliferation, differentiation,
morphogenesis and maturation occur.
Induction (structure of eye, ear, vertebral cartilage, kidney)
Development of the retina induces the development of the lens and cornea of the eye. The
substance (protein) secreted by the developing retina can only diffuse a short distance and
affect the neighbouring cells, which become other parts of the eye.

Induction and neural crest cells

• During embryonic development, some cells migrate. For instance, cells of the neural
crest migrate throughout the embryo and, depending on their new "neighbourhood"
differentiate into pigment cells, cells of the adrenal medulla, etc.
Induction of neural plate
Molecular regulation of neural tube differentiation. Top) Sonic hedgehog secreted by the
notochord (N) ventralizes the neural tube and induces formation of the floor plate
(F), which also produces SHH. Bone morphogenetic proteins are secreted from the alar plates.
Bottom) Initally, PAX 3 and 7 are expressed uniformly in the neural plate. SHH represses their
expression in the ventral half of the neural tube. BMPs upregulate PAX 3 and 7 expression in
the dorsal portion of the tube. PAX6 begins to be expressed as the neural folds elevate and
close.

Induction and competence

This ability to respond to a specific inductive signal is called competence.
Ectodermal competence
and the ability to respond
to the optic vesicle inducer
in Xenopus. (1) The optic
vesicle is able to induce
lenses in the anterior
portion of the ectoderm,
but not in the presumptive
trunk and abdomen (2). If
the optic vesicle is
removed (3), the surface
ectoderm forms either an
abnormal lens or no lens at
all. (4) Most other tissues
are not able to substitute
for the optic vesicle.

Reciprocal induction
Another feature of induction is the reciprocal nature of many inductive
interactions.
For example, Once the lens has formed, it can then induce other tissues. One of these
responding tissues is the optic vesicle itself. Now the inducer becomes the induced. Under
the influence of factors secreted by the lens, the optic vesicle becomes the optic cup, and the
wall of the optic cup differentiates into two layers, the pigmented retina and the neural
retina Such interactions are called reciprocal inductions