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XHas2 activity is required during somitogenesis and precursor cell migration in Xenopus development
Michela Ori1, Martina Nardini, Paola Casini
1Laboratori di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Biochimica, Università di Pisa, Via Carducci 13, Ghezzano, Pisa (PI) 56010, Italy.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|January 20, 2006
Summary
Hyaluronan synthase 2 (Has2) is crucial for vertebrate development, regulating muscle formation and cell migration. Its signaling receptor CD44 also plays a key role in muscle precursor cell migration during embryogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Hyaluronan (HA) biosynthesis in vertebrates is controlled by Has1, Has2, and Has3 enzymes.
- Has2 activity is essential for mammalian embryonic development.
- Previous work characterized Xenopus orthologues of Has genes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of XHas2 in Xenopus development, specifically in somitogenesis and myogenesis.
- Determine the function of the HA receptor XCD44 in embryonic development.
- Elucidate the mechanisms of HA-mediated cell-ECM interactions during development.
Main Methods:
- Morpholino-mediated knockdown of XHas2 and XCD44 in Xenopus embryos.
- Analysis of somitogenesis and myogenesis.
- Assessment of hypaxial muscle precursor cell and neural crest cell migration.
Main Results:
- XHas2 loss-of-function disrupted somitogenesis, caused myoblast apoptosis, and impaired muscle and neural crest cell migration.
- XCD44 knockdown did not affect somitogenesis but impaired hypaxial muscle precursor cell migration.
- XCD44 loss-of-function did not significantly affect trunk neural crest cell migration.
Conclusions:
- XHas2 is essential for proper muscle development and cell migration in Xenopus.
- XCD44 plays a critical role in hypaxial muscle precursor cell migration.
- These findings highlight the importance of cell-ECM interactions, mediated by HA and CD44, in vertebrate embryonic development.