| a group of ectodermal cells that develop into a variety of tissues, including spinal and autonomic ganglia, connective tissue around the brain and spinal cord, and parts of the facial bones. |

| neural crest n. The part of the ectoderm in a vertebrate embryo that lies on either side of the neural tube and develops into the cranial, spinal, and autonomic ganglia. |
neural crest n.
A band of neuroectodermal cells that lie dorsolateral to the developing spinal cord, where they separate into clusters of cells that develop into dorsal-root ganglion cells, autonomic ganglion cells, chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, neurolemma cells, or integumentary pigment cells.
neural crest
group of embryonic cells that are pinched off during the formation of the neural tube (the precursor of the spinal cord) but that do not remain as a part of the central nervous system. The cells of the neural crest migrate to numerous locations in the body and contribute to the formation of diverse structures, mostly associated with the nervous system. The factors determining their migration and differentiation are not known.
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