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FGF signal regulates gastrulation cell movements and morphology through its target NRH

Hyeyoung A Chung1, Junko Hyodo-Miura, Teruyuki Nagamune

  • 1Department of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan.

Developmental Biology
|June 7, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling regulates cell morphology and gastrulation movements in Xenopus embryos through neurotrophin receptor homolog (NRH). NRH depletion disrupts cell polarization and filopodia formation, essential for embryonic development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling plays crucial roles in embryonic development.
  • The precise mechanisms by which FGF regulates cell morphology and movements during gastrulation are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify FGF target genes involved in Xenopus gastrulation.
  • To elucidate the role of neurotrophin receptor homolog (NRH) in FGF-mediated cell morphology and gastrulation.

Main Methods:

  • cDNA microarray analysis to screen for FGF target genes.
  • Gain- and loss-of-function studies using NRH mRNA and Morpholino antisense-oligonucleotides (Mo).
  • Deletion analysis of NRH and assessment of filopodia formation and cell morphology.

Main Results:

  • Neurotrophin receptor homolog (NRH) was identified as an FGF target gene.
  • NRH depletion caused gastrulation defects by impairing cell polarization, intercalation, and filopodia formation in the dorsal marginal zone.
  • The carboxyl-terminal region of NRH, including the death domain, is critical for rescuing gastrulation defects and inducing protrusive cell morphology.
  • FGF signaling is necessary and sufficient for filopodia formation and requires NRH to regulate dorsal marginal zone cell morphology.

Conclusions:

  • FGF signaling regulates cell morphology in vivo during Xenopus gastrulation through NRH.
  • NRH is a key mediator of FGF's effects on cell shape and movement, linking FGF signaling to gastrulation cell dynamics.

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