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Binary cell death decision regulated by unequal partitioning of Numb at mitosis

Virginie Orgogozo1, François Schweisguth, Yohanns Bellaïche

  • 1Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR 8542, 46 rue d'Ulm, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France.

Development (Cambridge, England)
|October 4, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Programmed cell death patterns in Metazoan development are regulated by asymmetric cell division. Unequal inheritance of the protein Numb during mitosis determines which cell survives, preventing apoptosis and ensuring proper sensory organ development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Understanding stereotyped patterns of programmed cell death is crucial in Metazoan development.
  • Asymmetric cell divisions are implicated in generating cells programmed to die, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms regulating binary cell death decisions in a specific Drosophila sensory organ lineage.
  • To determine the role of protein Numb and Notch signaling in controlling cell fate following asymmetric cell division.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a Drosophila sensory organ lineage generating a multidentritic neuron through two asymmetric divisions.
  • Examination of gene expression, specifically pro-apoptotic genes reaper and grim.
  • Investigation of Numb protein inheritance and Notch pathway activation.

Main Results:

  • One daughter cell, inheriting Numb protein, survives, while the other dies via apoptosis.
  • Numb is both necessary and sufficient to prevent apoptosis in this lineage.
  • Activated Notch signaling triggers cell death in this specific lineage.

Conclusions:

  • Binary cell death decisions are regulated by the unequal segregation of Numb during mitosis.
  • Programmed cell death regulation influences sensory organ pattern formation in a segment-specific manner.

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