Commitment of neural crest cells to the sensory neuron lineage.

Clonal cultures and monoclonal antibodies against a lineage-specific epitope, stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) were used to analyze the commitment of quail neural crest cells to the sensory neuron pathway. There were two distinct populations of sensory cells at the time of gangliogenesis. Postmitotic neuroblasts that remained in close association with the neural tube coexisted with a large number of pluripotent cells that formed the leading edge of the emigrating cells and gave rise to sensory and autonomic neuroblasts and to melanocytes. The data suggest a dual origin of spinal sensory neuroblasts and a predominantly late divergence of the autonomic and sensory lineages.