A Posterior Centre Establishes and Maintains Polarity of the Caenorhabditis elegans Embryo by a Wnt-Dependent Relay Mechanism
2006
How C. elegans Embryos Know Their Front from Their Back
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Marcus Bischoff, Ralf Schnabel
Hypothesis
The polarization of the C. elegans embryo depends on a 'polarization center' formed by the descendants of one of the two initial blastomeres.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that the posterior P2 blastomere organizes the cleavage directions of cells in the C. elegans embryo through a Wnt-dependent relay mechanism.
Supporting Evidence
- The polarization center is formed by the descendants of one of the two initial blastomeres.
- The addition of a P2 blastomere to isolated anterior cells caused a shift in the orientation of division.
- The elongation of embryonic fragments was directly correlated with the reorientation of cell divisions by P2.
- Wnt signaling was necessary for the anterior cells to elongate and orient toward P2.
- The polarizing Wnt signal is transduced from cell to cell by a relay mechanism.
Takeaway
Scientists found that a special group of cells in a tiny worm helps it figure out which end is the front and which is the back by sending signals to each other.
Methodology
The authors cultured different combinations of blastomeres and analyzed the effects of Wnt signaling on cell orientation and elongation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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