Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
08:16
Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Social interactions among epithelial cells during tracheal branching morphogenesis
Amin S Ghabrial1, Mark A Krasnow
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5307, USA.
Nature
|June 9, 2006
Summary
Epithelial cells coordinate tubular network formation through cell competition. Cells with high Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor activity lead branching, while others follow, forming tubes in a process involving lateral inhibition.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Organ development often involves tubular networks formed by branching morphogenesis.
- Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) are known to guide branch budding and outgrowth.
- Mechanisms of epithelial cell coordination during tube formation remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate how epithelial cells coordinate movements and morphogenesis during tube formation.
- To identify distinct cell roles in tracheal branch budding.
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying cell coordination in branching morphogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized genetic mosaic analysis in Drosophila melanogaster.
- Investigated the roles of FGF signaling and receptor activity.
- Examined the involvement of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition.
Main Results:
- Identified two distinct cell classes in budding tracheal branches: leading tip cells and trailing stalk cells.
- Demonstrated that cell roles are determined by competition for FGF receptor activity, not pre-specification.
- Showed that Notch-mediated lateral inhibition prevents multiple cells from taking lead positions.
Conclusions:
- Branching morphogenesis involves cell competition, where FGF receptor activity dictates cell fate and position.
- Cooperation between cells facilitates efficient branch outgrowth, even for cells with poor chemoattractant response.
- This study reveals a novel mechanism for coordinating cell behavior during the formation of tubular structures.
Related Concept Videos
00:58Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
01:17Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers
A species is a group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Typically, individuals of the same species appear similar and share common characteristics due to their highly similar genomes. However, not all organisms that look alike are members of the same species. Various mechanisms keep most species discrete. While some mechanisms prevent reproductive behavior and fertilization (pre-zygotic isolation), others prevent the production of fertile offspring after mating has...
02:38Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction allows plants to reproduce without growing flowers, attracting pollinators, or dispersing seeds. Offspring are genetically identical to the parent and produced without the fusion of male and female gametes.
02:18Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms
Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
02:18Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms
Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
01:28Forced Transdifferentiation
Transdifferentiation, also known as lineage reprogramming, was first discovered by Selman and Kafatos in 1974 in silkmoths. They observed that the moths’ cuticle-producing cells transformed into salt-producing cells. Many such cases of natural transdifferentiation occur in organisms. In humans, pancreatic alpha cells can become beta cells. In newts, the loss of the eye’s lens causes the pigmented epithelial cells to transdifferentiate into the lens cells.
Artificial transdifferentiation occurs...
Artificial transdifferentiation occurs...