Riding the crest for 150 years!

Neural crest cells are a fascinating cell type, unique to vertebrates, and characterized by their migratory potential and multipotency. Here, we honor the 150th anniversary of their discovery by Professor Wilhelm His, a Swiss anatomist who made major contributions to our understanding of embryonic development. His identified the neural crest in 1868 and designated it as the Zwischenstrang or "the cord in between," due to its juxtaposition between the neural tube and non-neural ectoderm. He made many important discoveries such as inventing the microtome, which made it possible to examine sections through embryos in exquisite detail.