1
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Kametani H, Tong Y, Shimada A, Takeda H, Sushida T, Akiyama M, Kawanishi T. Twisted cell flow facilitates three-dimensional somite morphogenesis in zebrafish. Cells Dev 2024; 180:203969. [PMID: 39191372 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Tissue elongation is a fundamental morphogenetic process to construct complex embryonic structures. In zebrafish, somites rapidly elongate in both dorsal and ventral directions, transforming from a cuboidal to a V-shape within a few hours of development. Despite its significance, the cellular behaviors that directly lead to somite elongation have not been examined at single-cell resolution. Here, we describe the motion and shapes of all cells composing the dorsal half of the somite in three-dimensional space using lightsheet microscopy. We identified two types of cell movements-in horizontal and dorsal directions-that occur simultaneously within individual cells, creating a complex, twisted flow of cells during somite elongation. Chemical inhibition of Sdf1 signaling disrupted the collective movement in both directions and inhibited somite elongation, suggesting that Sdf1 signaling is crucial for this cell flow. Furthermore, three-dimensional computational modeling suggested that horizontal cell rotation accelerates the perpendicular elongation of the somite along the dorsoventral axis. Together, our study offers novel insights into the role of collective cell migration in tissue morphogenesis, which proceeds dynamically in the three-dimensional space of the embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harunobu Kametani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yue Tong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Atsuko Shimada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan.
| | - Takamichi Sushida
- Faculty of Informatics, University of Fukuchiyama, Kyoto 620-0886, Japan.
| | - Masakazu Akiyama
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555, Japan.
| | - Toru Kawanishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
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2
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Li X, Huebner RJ, Williams MLK, Sawyer J, Peifer M, Wallingford JB, Thirumalai D. Emergence of cellular nematic order is a conserved feature of gastrulation in animal embryos. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.11.603175. [PMID: 39071444 PMCID: PMC11275887 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.11.603175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Cells undergo dramatic changes in morphology during embryogenesis, yet how these changes affect the formation of ordered tissues remains elusive. Here we find that the emergence of a nematic liquid crystal phase occurs in cells during gastrulation in the development of embryos of fish, frogs, and fruit flies. Moreover, the spatial correlations in all three organisms are long-ranged and follow a similar power-law decay( y ∼ x - α ) with α less than unity for the nematic order parameter, suggesting a common underlying physical mechanism unifies events in these distantly related species. All three species exhibit similar propagation of the nematic phase, reminiscent of nucleation and growth phenomena. Finally, we use a theoretical model along with disruptions of cell adhesion and cell specification to characterize the minimal features required for formation of the nematic phase. Our results provide a framework for understanding a potentially universal features of metazoan embryogenesis and shed light on the advent of ordered structures during animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert J Huebner
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Margot L K Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health & Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jessica Sawyer
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - John B Wallingford
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - D Thirumalai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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3
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Li X, Huebner RJ, Williams MLK, Sawyer J, Peifer M, Wallingford JB, Thirumalai D. Emergence of cellular nematic order is a conserved feature of gastrulation in animal embryos. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2407.12124v1. [PMID: 39070041 PMCID: PMC11275694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Cells undergo dramatic changes in morphology during embryogenesis, yet how these changes affect the formation of ordered tissues remains elusive. Here we find that the emergence of a nematic liquid crystal phase occurs in cells during gastrulation in the development of embryos of fish, frogs, and fruit flies. Moreover, the spatial correlations in all three organisms are long-ranged and follow a similar power-law decay( y ∼ x - α ) with α less than unity for the nematic order parameter, suggesting a common underlying physical mechanism unifies events in these distantly related species. All three species exhibit similar propagation of the nematic phase, reminiscent of nucleation and growth phenomena. Finally, we use a theoretical model along with disruptions of cell adhesion and cell specification to characterize the minimal features required for formation of the nematic phase. Our results provide a framework for understanding a potentially universal features of metazoan embryogenesis and shed light on the advent of ordered structures during animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert J Huebner
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Margot L K Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health & Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jessica Sawyer
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - John B Wallingford
- Department of Molecular Bioscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - D Thirumalai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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4
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Abitua PB, Stump LM, Aksel DC, Schier AF. Axis formation in annual killifish: Nodal and β-catenin regulate morphogenesis without Huluwa prepatterning. Science 2024; 384:1105-1110. [PMID: 38843334 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado7604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Axis formation in fish and amphibians typically begins with a prepattern of maternal gene products. Annual killifish embryogenesis, however, challenges prepatterning models as blastomeres disperse and then aggregate to form the germ layers and body axes. We show that huluwa, a prepatterning factor thought to break symmetry by stabilizing β-catenin, is truncated and inactive in Nothobranchius furzeri. Nuclear β-catenin is not selectively stabilized on one side of the blastula but accumulates in cells forming the aggregate. Blocking β-catenin activity or Nodal signaling disrupts aggregate formation and germ layer specification. Nodal signaling coordinates cell migration, establishing an early role for this signaling pathway. These results reveal a surprising departure from established mechanisms of axis formation: Huluwa-mediated prepatterning is dispensable, and β-catenin and Nodal regulate morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip B Abitua
- Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Laura M Stump
- Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Deniz C Aksel
- Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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5
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Boutillon A, Banavar SP, Campàs O. Conserved physical mechanisms of cell and tissue elongation. Development 2024; 151:dev202687. [PMID: 38767601 PMCID: PMC11190436 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Living organisms have the ability to self-shape into complex structures appropriate for their function. The genetic and molecular mechanisms that enable cells to do this have been extensively studied in several model and non-model organisms. In contrast, the physical mechanisms that shape cells and tissues have only recently started to emerge, in part thanks to new quantitative in vivo measurements of the physical quantities guiding morphogenesis. These data, combined with indirect inferences of physical characteristics, are starting to reveal similarities in the physical mechanisms underlying morphogenesis across different organisms. Here, we review how physics contributes to shape cells and tissues in a simple, yet ubiquitous, morphogenetic transformation: elongation. Drawing from observed similarities across species, we propose the existence of conserved physical mechanisms of morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Boutillon
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Samhita P. Banavar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Otger Campàs
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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6
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Schauer A, Pranjic-Ferscha K, Hauschild R, Heisenberg CP. Robust axis elongation by Nodal-dependent restriction of BMP signaling. Development 2024; 151:dev202316. [PMID: 38372390 PMCID: PMC10911127 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Embryogenesis results from the coordinated activities of different signaling pathways controlling cell fate specification and morphogenesis. In vertebrate gastrulation, both Nodal and BMP signaling play key roles in germ layer specification and morphogenesis, yet their interplay to coordinate embryo patterning with morphogenesis is still insufficiently understood. Here, we took a reductionist approach using zebrafish embryonic explants to study the coordination of Nodal and BMP signaling for embryo patterning and morphogenesis. We show that Nodal signaling triggers explant elongation by inducing mesendodermal progenitors but also suppressing BMP signaling activity at the site of mesendoderm induction. Consistent with this, ectopic BMP signaling in the mesendoderm blocks cell alignment and oriented mesendoderm intercalations, key processes during explant elongation. Translating these ex vivo observations to the intact embryo showed that, similar to explants, Nodal signaling suppresses the effect of BMP signaling on cell intercalations in the dorsal domain, thus allowing robust embryonic axis elongation. These findings suggest a dual function of Nodal signaling in embryonic axis elongation by both inducing mesendoderm and suppressing BMP effects in the dorsal portion of the mesendoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schauer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | | | - Robert Hauschild
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
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7
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Emig AA, Hansen M, Grimm S, Coarfa C, Lord ND, Williams MK. Temporal dynamics of BMP/Nodal ratio drive tissue-specific gastrulation morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.579243. [PMID: 38370754 PMCID: PMC10871350 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.579243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Anteroposterior (AP) elongation of the vertebrate body plan is driven by convergence and extension (C&E) gastrulation movements in both the mesoderm and neuroectoderm, but how or whether molecular regulation of C&E differs between tissues remains an open question. Using a zebrafish explant model of AP axis extension, we show that C&E of the neuroectoderm and mesoderm can be uncoupled ex vivo, and that morphogenesis of individual tissues results from distinct morphogen signaling dynamics. Using precise temporal manipulation of BMP and Nodal signaling, we identify a critical developmental window during which high or low BMP/Nodal ratios induce neuroectoderm- or mesoderm-driven C&E, respectively. Increased BMP activity similarly enhances C&E specifically in the ectoderm of intact zebrafish gastrulae, highlighting the in vivo relevance of our findings. Together, these results demonstrate that temporal dynamics of BMP and Nodal morphogen signaling activate distinct morphogenetic programs governing C&E gastrulation movements within individual tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa A Emig
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Megan Hansen
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Sandra Grimm
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Nathan D Lord
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Margot Kossmann Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Previous address: Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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8
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Iqbal Z, Xia J, Murtaza G, Shabbir M, Rehman K, Yujie L, Duan L. Targeting WNT signalling pathways as new therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis. J Drug Target 2023; 31:1027-1049. [PMID: 37969105 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2281861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent chronic joint disease and the leading cause of disability. Currently, no drugs are available to control joint damage or ease the associated pain. The wingless-type (WNT) signalling pathway is vital in OA progression. Excessive activation of the WNT signalling pathway is pertinent to OA progression and severity. Therefore, agonists and antagonists of the WNT pathway are considered potential drug candidates for OA treatment. For example, SM04690, a novel small molecule inhibitor of WNT signalling, has demonstrated its potential in a recent phase III clinical trial as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD). Therefore, targeting the WNT signalling pathway may be a distinctive approach to developing particular agents helpful in treating OA. This review aims to update the most recent progress in OA drug development by targeting the WNT pathway. In this, we introduce WNT pathways and their crosstalk with other signalling pathways in OA development and highlight the role of the WNT signalling pathway as a key regulator in OA development. Several articles have reviewed the Wnt pathway from different aspects. This candid review provides an introduction to WNT pathways and their crosstalk with other signalling pathways in OA development, highlighting the role of the WNT signalling pathway as a key regulator in OA development with the latest research. Particularly, we emphasise the state-of-the-art in targeting the WNT pathway as a promising therapeutic approach for OA and challenges in their development and the nanocarrier-based delivery of WNT modulators for treating OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Iqbal
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Orthopedic Technology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiang Xia
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ghulam Murtaza
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Pakistan
| | - Maryam Shabbir
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore Campus, Pakistan
| | - Khurrum Rehman
- Department of Allied health sciences, The University of Agriculture, D.I.Khan, Pakistan
| | - Liang Yujie
- Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Li Duan
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Orthopedic Technology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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9
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Cheng T, Xing YY, Liu C, Li YF, Huang Y, Liu X, Zhang YJ, Zhao GQ, Dong Y, Fu XX, Tian YM, Shu LP, Megason SG, Xu PF. Nodal coordinates the anterior-posterior patterning of germ layers and induces head formation in zebrafish explants. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112351. [PMID: 37018074 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Much progress has been made toward generating analogs of early embryos, such as gastruloids and embryoids, in vitro. However, methods for how to fully mimic the cell movements of gastrulation and coordinate germ-layer patterning to induce head formation are still lacking. Here, we show that a regional Nodal gradient applied to zebrafish animal pole explant can generate a structure that recapitulates the key cell movements of gastrulation. Using single-cell transcriptome and in situ hybridization analysis, we assess the dynamics of the cell fates and patterning of this structure. The mesendoderm differentiates into the anterior endoderm, prechordal plate, notochord, and tailbud-like cells along an anterior-posterior axis, and an anterior-posterior-patterned head-like structure (HLS) progressively forms during late gastrulation. Among 105 immediate Nodal targets, 14 genes contain axis-induction ability, and 5 of them induce a complete or partial head structure when overexpressed in the ventral side of zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Cheng
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan-Yi Xing
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic and Developmental Disorders, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yun-Fei Li
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying-Jie Zhang
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guo-Qin Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Yang Dong
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin-Xin Fu
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi-Meng Tian
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li-Ping Shu
- Department of Immunology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Sean G Megason
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Peng-Fei Xu
- Women's Hospital, Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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10
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Shi DL. Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling controls morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and neural tube closure. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:586. [PMID: 36369349 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04620-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Gastrulation and neurulation are successive morphogenetic processes that play key roles in shaping the basic embryonic body plan. Importantly, they operate through common cellular and molecular mechanisms to set up the three spatially organized germ layers and to close the neural tube. During gastrulation and neurulation, convergent extension movements driven by cell intercalation and oriented cell division generate major forces to narrow the germ layers along the mediolateral axis and elongate the embryo in the anteroposterior direction. Apical constriction also makes an important contribution to promote the formation of the blastopore and the bending of the neural plate. Planar cell polarity proteins are major regulators of asymmetric cell behaviors and critically involved in a wide variety of developmental processes, from gastrulation and neurulation to organogenesis. Mutations of planar cell polarity genes can lead to general defects in the morphogenesis of different organs and the co-existence of distinct congenital diseases, such as spina bifida, hearing deficits, kidney diseases, and limb elongation defects. This review outlines our current understanding of non-canonical Wnt signaling, commonly known as Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling, in regulating morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and neural tube closure during development and disease. It also attempts to identify unanswered questions that deserve further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Li Shi
- Institute of Medical Research, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China. .,Laboratory of Developmental Biology, CNRS-UMR7622, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
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11
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Nodal signaling regulates asymmetric cellular behaviors, driving clockwise rotation of the heart tube in zebrafish. Commun Biol 2022; 5:996. [PMID: 36131094 PMCID: PMC9492702 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03826-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Clockwise rotation of the primitive heart tube, a process regulated by restricted left-sided Nodal signaling, is the first morphological manifestation of left-right asymmetry. How Nodal regulates cell behaviors to drive asymmetric morphogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, using high-resolution live imaging of zebrafish embryos, we simultaneously visualized cellular dynamics underlying early heart morphogenesis and resulting changes in tissue shape, to identify two key cell behaviors: cell rearrangement and cell shape change, which convert initially flat heart primordia into a tube through convergent extension. Interestingly, left cells were more active in these behaviors than right cells, driving more rapid convergence of the left primordium, and thereby rotating the heart tube. Loss of Nodal signaling abolished the asymmetric cell behaviors as well as the asymmetric convergence of the left and right heart primordia. Collectively, our results demonstrate that Nodal signaling regulates the magnitude of morphological changes by acting on basic cellular behaviors underlying heart tube formation, driving asymmetric deformation and rotation of the heart tube.
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12
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Fulton T, Verd B, Steventon B. The unappreciated generative role of cell movements in pattern formation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211293. [PMID: 35601454 PMCID: PMC9043703 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms underpinning the formation of patterned cellular landscapes has been the subject of extensive study as a fundamental problem of developmental biology. In most cases, attention has been given to situations in which cell movements are negligible, allowing researchers to focus on the cell-extrinsic signalling mechanisms, and intrinsic gene regulatory interactions that lead to pattern emergence at the tissue level. However, in many scenarios during development, cells rapidly change their neighbour relationships in order to drive tissue morphogenesis, while also undergoing patterning. To draw attention to the ubiquity of this problem and propose methodologies that will accommodate morphogenesis into the study of pattern formation, we review the current approaches to studying pattern formation in both static and motile cellular environments. We then consider how the cell movements themselves may contribute to the generation of pattern, rather than hinder it, with both a species specific and evolutionary viewpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Fulton
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Berta Verd
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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13
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Hill CS. Establishment and interpretation of NODAL and BMP signaling gradients in early vertebrate development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:311-340. [PMID: 35606059 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family ligands play crucial roles in orchestrating early embryonic development. Most significantly, two family members, NODAL and BMP form signaling gradients and indeed in fish, frogs and sea urchins these two opposing gradients are sufficient to organize a complete embryonic axis. This review focuses on how these gradients are established and interpreted during early vertebrate development. The review highlights key principles that are emerging, in particular the importance of signaling duration as well as ligand concentration in both gradient generation and their interpretation. Feedforward and feedback loops involving other signaling pathways are also essential for providing spatial and temporal information downstream of the NODAL and BMP signaling pathways. Finally, new data suggest the existence of buffering mechanisms, whereby early signaling defects can be readily corrected downstream later in development, suggesting that signaling gradients do not have to be as precise as previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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14
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Vetrova AA, Lebedeva TS, Saidova AA, Kupaeva DM, Kraus YA, Kremnyov SV. From apolar gastrula to polarized larva: Embryonic development of a marine hydroid, Dynamena pumila. Dev Dyn 2021; 251:795-825. [PMID: 34787911 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In almost all metazoans examined to this respect, the axial patterning system based on canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling operates throughout the course of development. In most metazoans, gastrulation is polar, and embryos develop morphological landmarks of axial polarity, such as blastopore under control/regulation from cWnt signaling. However, in many cnidarian species, gastrulation is morphologically apolar. The question remains whether сWnt signaling providing the establishment of a body axis controls morphogenetic processes involved in apolar gastrulation. RESULTS In this study, we focused on the embryonic development of Dynamena pumila, a cnidarian species with apolar gastrulation. We thoroughly described cell behavior, proliferation, and ultrastructure and examined axial patterning in the embryos of this species. We revealed that the first signs of morphological polarity appear only after the end of gastrulation, while molecular prepatterning of the embryo does exist during gastrulation. We have shown experimentally that in D. pumila, the direction of the oral-aboral axis is highly robust against perturbations in cWnt activity. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that morphogenetic processes are uncoupled from molecular axial patterning during gastrulation in D. pumila. Investigation of D. pumila might significantly expand our understanding of the ways in which morphological polarization and axial molecular patterning are linked in Metazoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A Vetrova
- Laboratory of Morphogenesis Evolution, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana S Lebedeva
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aleena A Saidova
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria M Kupaeva
- Laboratory of Morphogenesis Evolution, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia A Kraus
- Laboratory of Morphogenesis Evolution, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Stanislav V Kremnyov
- Laboratory of Morphogenesis Evolution, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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15
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Steventon B, Busby L, Arias AM. Establishment of the vertebrate body plan: Rethinking gastrulation through stem cell models of early embryogenesis. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2405-2418. [PMID: 34520764 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A striking property of vertebrate embryos is the emergence of a conserved body plan across a wide range of organisms through the process of gastrulation. As the body plan unfolds, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) and multicellular interactions (cell regulatory networks, CRNs) combine to generate a conserved set of morphogenetic events that lead to the phylotypic stage. Interrogation of these multilevel interactions requires manipulation of the mechanical environment, which is difficult in vivo. We review recent studies of stem cell models of early embryogenesis from different species showing that, independent of species origin, cells in culture form similar structures. The main difference between embryos and in vitro models is the boundary conditions of the multicellular ensembles. We discuss these observations and suggest that the mechanical and geometric boundary conditions of different embryos before gastrulation hide a morphogenetic ground state that is revealed in the stem-cell-based models of embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lara Busby
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Alfonso Martinez Arias
- Systems Bioengineering, DCEXS, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Doctor Aiguader, 88 ICREA, Pag Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.
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16
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Anlas K, Trivedi V. Studying evolution of the primary body axis in vivo and in vitro. eLife 2021; 10:e69066. [PMID: 34463611 PMCID: PMC8456739 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The metazoan body plan is established during early embryogenesis via collective cell rearrangements and evolutionarily conserved gene networks, as part of a process commonly referred to as gastrulation. While substantial progress has been achieved in terms of characterizing the embryonic development of several model organisms, underlying principles of many early patterning processes nevertheless remain enigmatic. Despite the diversity of (pre-)gastrulating embryo and adult body shapes across the animal kingdom, the body axes, which are arguably the most fundamental features, generally remain identical between phyla. Recently there has been a renewed appreciation of ex vivo and in vitro embryo-like systems to model early embryonic patterning events. Here, we briefly review key examples and propose that similarities in morphogenesis and associated gene expression dynamics may reveal an evolutionarily conserved developmental mode as well as provide further insights into the role of external or extraembryonic cues in shaping the early embryo. In summary, we argue that embryo-like systems can be employed to inform previously uncharted aspects of animal body plan evolution as well as associated patterning rules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- EMBL BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- EMBL Heidelberg, Developmental BiologyHeidelbergGermany
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17
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Narayanan R, Mendieta-Serrano MA, Saunders TE. The role of cellular active stresses in shaping the zebrafish body axis. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2021; 73:69-77. [PMID: 34303916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Tissue remodelling and organ shaping during morphogenesis are products of mechanical forces generated at the cellular level. These cell-scale forces can be coordinated across the tissue via information provided by biochemical and mechanical cues. Such coordination leads to the generation of complex tissue shape during morphogenesis. In this short review, we elaborate the role of cellular active stresses in vertebrate axis morphogenesis, primarily using examples from postgastrulation development of the zebrafish embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Narayanan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗Star, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
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18
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Busby L, Steventon B. Tissue tectonics and the multi-scale regulation of developmental timing. Interface Focus 2021; 11:20200057. [PMID: 34055304 PMCID: PMC8086930 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2020.0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Development encompasses processes that occur at multiple length scales, including gene-regulatory interactions, cell movements and reorganization, cell signalling and growth. It is essential that the timing of events in all of these different processes is coordinated to generate well-patterned tissues and organs. However, how the timing of intrinsic cell state changes is coordinated with events occurring at the multi-tissue and whole-organism level is unknown. Here, we argue that an important mechanism that accounts for the integration of timing across levels of organization is provided by tissue tectonics, i.e. how morphogenetic events driving tissue shape changes result in the relative displacement of signalling and responding tissues and coordinate developmental timing across scales. In doing so, tissue tectonics provides a mechanism by which the cell specification events intrinsic to cells can be modulated by the temporal exposure to extracellular signals. This exposure is in turn regulated by higher-order properties of the embryo, such as their physical properties, rates of growth and the combination of dynamic cell behaviours, impacting tissue morphogenesis. Tissue tectonics creates a downward flow of information from higher to lower levels of biological organization, providing an instance of downward causation in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Busby
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
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19
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Gritti N, Oriola D, Trivedi V. Rethinking embryology in vitro: A synergy between engineering, data science and theory. Dev Biol 2021; 474:48-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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20
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Reassembling gastrulation. Dev Biol 2021; 474:71-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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21
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Morales JS, Raspopovic J, Marcon L. From embryos to embryoids: How external signals and self-organization drive embryonic development. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1039-1050. [PMID: 33979592 PMCID: PMC8185431 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic development has been traditionally seen as an inductive process directed by exogenous maternal inputs and extra-embryonic signals. Increasing evidence, however, is showing that, in addition to exogenous signals, the development of the embryo involves endogenous self-organization. Recently, this self-organizing potential has been highlighted by a number of stem cell models known as embryoids that can recapitulate different aspects of embryogenesis in vitro. Here, we review the self-organizing behaviors observed in different embryoid models and seek to reconcile this new evidence with classical knowledge of developmental biology. This analysis leads to reexamine embryonic development as a guided self-organizing process, where patterning and morphogenesis are controlled by a combination of exogenous signals and endogenous self-organization. Finally, we discuss the multidisciplinary approach required to investigate the genetic and cellular basis of self-organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Serrano Morales
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC - UPO - JA, Seville, Spain
| | - Jelena Raspopovic
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC - UPO - JA, Seville, Spain.
| | - Luciano Marcon
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), CSIC - UPO - JA, Seville, Spain.
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22
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Liu L, Warmflash A. Self-organized signaling in stem cell models of embryos. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1065-1077. [PMID: 33979594 PMCID: PMC8185436 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian embryonic development is a complex process driven by self-organization. Understanding how a fertilized egg develops into an embryo composed of more than 200 cell types in precise spatial patterns remains one of the fundamental challenges in biology. Pluripotent stem cells have been used as in vitro models for investigating mammalian development, and represent promising building blocks for regenerative therapies. Recently, sophisticated stem cell-based models that recapitulate early embryonic fate patterning and morphogenesis have been developed. In this article, we review recent advances in stem cell models of embryos in particular focusing on signaling activities underpinning cell fate decisions in space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhong Liu
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Aryeh Warmflash
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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23
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Torres-Paz J, Rétaux S. Pescoids and Chimeras to Probe Early Evo-Devo in the Fish Astyanax mexicanus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:667296. [PMID: 33928092 PMCID: PMC8078105 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.667296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The fish species Astyanax mexicanus with its sighted and blind eco-morphotypes has become an original model to challenge vertebrate developmental evolution. Recently, we demonstrated that phenotypic evolution can be impacted by early developmental events starting from the production of oocytes in the fish ovaries. A. mexicanus offers an amenable model to test the influence of maternal determinants on cell fate decisions during early development, yet the mechanisms by which the information contained in the eggs is translated into specific developmental programs remain obscure due to the lack of specific tools in this emergent model. Here we describe methods for the generation of pescoids from yolkless-blastoderm explants to test the influence of embryonic and extraembryonic tissues on cell fate decisions, as well as the production of chimeric embryos obtained by intermorph cell transplantations to probe cell autonomous or non-autonomous processes. We show that Astyanax pescoids have the potential to recapitulate the main ontogenetic events observed in intact embryos, including the internalization of mesodermal progenitors and eye development, as followed with zic:GFP reporter lines. In addition, intermorph cell grafts resulted in proper integration of exogenous cells into the embryonic tissues, with lineages becoming more restricted from mid-blastula to gastrula. The implementation of these approaches in A. mexicanus will bring new light on the cascades of events, from the maternal pre-patterning of the early embryo to the evolution of brain regionalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Torres-Paz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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24
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Kakebeen AD, Huebner RJ, Shindo A, Kwon K, Kwon T, Wills AE, Wallingford JB. A temporally resolved transcriptome for developing "Keller" explants of the Xenopus laevis dorsal marginal zone. Dev Dyn 2021; 250:717-731. [PMID: 33368695 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Explanted tissues from vertebrate embryos reliably develop in culture and have provided essential paradigms for understanding embryogenesis, from early embryological investigations of induction, to the extensive study of Xenopus animal caps, to the current studies of mammalian gastruloids. Cultured explants of the Xenopus dorsal marginal zone ("Keller" explants) serve as a central paradigm for studies of convergent extension cell movements, yet we know little about the global patterns of gene expression in these explants. RESULTS In an effort to more thoroughly develop this important model system, we provide here a time-resolved bulk transcriptome for developing Keller explants. CONCLUSIONS The dataset reported here provides a useful resource for those using Keller explants for studies of morphogenesis and provide genome-scale insights into the temporal patterns of gene expression in an important tissue when explanted and grown in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke D Kakebeen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Robert J Huebner
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Asako Shindo
- Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kujin Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Taejoon Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea.,Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Andrea E Wills
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - John B Wallingford
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
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25
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Drew K, Lee C, Cox RM, Dang V, Devitt CC, McWhite CD, Papoulas O, Huizar RL, Marcotte EM, Wallingford JB. A systematic, label-free method for identifying RNA-associated proteins in vivo provides insights into vertebrate ciliary beating machinery. Dev Biol 2020; 467:108-117. [PMID: 32898505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell-type specific RNA-associated proteins are essential for development and homeostasis in animals. Despite a massive recent effort to systematically identify RNA-associated proteins, we currently have few comprehensive rosters of cell-type specific RNA-associated proteins in vertebrate tissues. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of determining the RNA-associated proteome of a defined vertebrate embryonic tissue using DIF-FRAC, a systematic and universal (i.e., label-free) method. Application of DIF-FRAC to cultured tissue explants of Xenopus mucociliary epithelium identified dozens of known RNA-associated proteins as expected, but also several novel RNA-associated proteins, including proteins related to assembly of the mitotic spindle and regulation of ciliary beating. In particular, we show that the inner dynein arm tether Cfap44 is an RNA-associated protein that localizes not only to axonemes, but also to liquid-like organelles in the cytoplasm called DynAPs. This result led us to discover that DynAPs are generally enriched for RNA. Together, these data provide a useful resource for a deeper understanding of mucociliary epithelia and demonstrate that DIF-FRAC will be broadly applicable for systematic identification of RNA-associated proteins from embryonic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Drew
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Chanjae Lee
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Rachael M Cox
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Vy Dang
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Caitlin C Devitt
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Claire D McWhite
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Ophelia Papoulas
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Ryan L Huizar
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Edward M Marcotte
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - John B Wallingford
- Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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26
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Experimental embryology of gastrulation: pluripotent stem cells as a new model system. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 64:78-83. [PMID: 32663757 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Gastrulation is an inherently complicated process involving a well-orchestrated series of collective cellular behaviours that lead to the emergence of the body plan of the organism. A convenient method to explore the mechanical and chemical interactions that underpin this process, is to isolate specific tissues and to allow them to develop in isolation or in a novel environment. These approaches are the essence of experimental embryology and have enabled an understanding of the underlying principles of embryogenesis, in a way that observation alone could not. The recent rise of 3D culture systems using Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) has enabled the extension of this approach to mammalian systems. Here, we argue that these ESC based methods are consistent with the program of experimental embryology, and discuss the insights that can be gained from this perspective, particularly focussing the process of gastrulation and the associated emergence of the body plan.
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27
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Axis Specification in Zebrafish Is Robust to Cell Mixing and Reveals a Regulation of Pattern Formation by Morphogenesis. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2984-2994.e3. [PMID: 32559447 PMCID: PMC7416079 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A fundamental question in developmental biology is how the early embryo establishes the spatial coordinate system that is later important for the organization of the embryonic body plan. Although we know a lot about the signaling and gene-regulatory networks required for this process, much less is understood about how these can operate to pattern tissues in the context of the extensive cell movements that drive gastrulation. In zebrafish, germ layer specification depends on the inheritance of maternal mRNAs [1, 2, 3], cortical rotation to generate a dorsal pole of β-catenin activity [4, 5, 6, 7, 8], and the release of Nodal signals from the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) [9, 10, 11, 12]. To determine whether germ layer specification is robust to altered cell-to-cell positioning, we separated embryonic cells from the yolk and allowed them to develop as spherical aggregates. These aggregates break symmetry autonomously to form elongated structures with an anterior-posterior pattern. Both forced reaggregation and endogenous cell mixing reveals how robust early axis specification is to spatial disruption of maternal pre-patterning. During these movements, a pole of Nodal signaling emerges that is required for explant elongation via the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. Blocking of PCP-dependent elongation disrupts the shaping of opposing poles of BMP and Wnt/TCF activity and the anterior-posterior patterning of neural tissue. These results lead us to suggest that embryo elongation plays a causal role in timing the exposure of cells to changes in BMP and Wnt signal activity during zebrafish gastrulation. Video Abstract
Whole-zebrafish 256-cell stage embryo explants elongate Patterned germ layers are established Mesoderm formation is robust to extensive cell mixing Inhibition of morphogenesis blocks formation of signaling gradients
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