Outlining the nascent nervous system of Branchiostoma floridae (amphioxus) by the pan-neural marker AmphiElav

The cephalochordate amphioxus is the closest living relative of the vertebrates. The anatomy and development of the amphioxus nervous system is giving insights into the basic chordate neural organisation, prior to the increase in neural complexity that characterised the origin of vertebrates. We have analysed the expression of the pan-neural marker AmphiElav in the Florida lancelet (Branchiostoma floridae) through development and up to larval stages. AmphiElav is expressed in the developing neural tube with particular temporal and spatial dynamics that correlate with neuronal differentiation. In addition, AmphiElav is expressed in isolated epidermal cells from mid-neurula embryos. This epidermal expression probably corresponds to precursors of sensory neurons. Together with data from other neural markers, we discuss the evolutionary relevance of these neural precursors to the origin of some of the most dramatic vertebrate inventions, neural crests and placodes.