The basal chordate amphioxus as a simple model for elucidating developmental mechanisms in vertebrates

This review examines the basal chordate, amphioxus, as a simple model for providing insights into the development and evolution of the vertebrates, with which it shares many features, including a pharynx perforated with gill slits, a dorsal nerve cord, segmented muscles, and a notochord. Conversely, amphioxus is simpler than vertebrates in lacking neural crest and paired cephalic sensory organs. Amphioxus embryos are less derived than those of vertebrates, because it lacks large quantities of yolk and/or extra-embryonic tissues. Embryogenesis involves only a simple folding of tissue layers. In addition, the amphioxus genome lacks the large-scale gene duplications of vertebrates. However, in spite of the comparative simplicity of amphioxus, its developmental mechanisms are proving to be highly conserved with those of vertebrates. Thus, studies of amphioxus development can shed light on similar, but more complex, development of vertebrates. Such studies are especially interesting for their insights into the genetic basis of craniofacial birth defects in humans.