Figure 2. Differentiation of cranial neural crest cells. As CNC cells migrate into the craniofacial region, these ectomesenchymal progenitors may give rise to an array of tissue types, such as odontoblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts, etc. Both ectoderm and endoderm of the branchial arch provide signaling instructions for the fate specification of these progenitor cells. CNC cells also contribute to the formation of neural tissues, such as sensory neurons and cranial nerve ganglia.