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Grafting of Beads into Developing Chicken Embryo Limbs to Identify Signal Transduction Pathways Affecting Gene Expression
Published on: January 17, 2016
Regulation of cell migration during chick gastrulation
Manli Chuai1, Cornelis Jan Weijer
1Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Wellcome Trust Biocentre, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom.
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|August 4, 2009
Summary
Chick gastrulation involves mesendoderm transport via cell flows to form the primitive streak. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Hox gene expression guide cell movements and ingression during this critical developmental process.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Embryogenesis
Background:
- Gastrulation in chick embryos involves extensive cell movements to establish germ layers.
- Primitive streak formation is crucial for organizing embryonic development.
- Multiple cellular mechanisms contribute to mesendoderm formation and migration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms driving primitive streak formation and mesendoderm migration during chick gastrulation.
- To investigate the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastrulation.
- To explore the influence of gene expression, specifically Hox genes, on cell ingression timing.
Main Methods:
- Observation of large-scale cell flows in epiblast and hypoblast layers.
- Analysis of cellular processes including cell-cell intercalation and extracellular matrix deformation.
- Investigation of signaling pathways (RhoA, integrins) and gene expression (Hox genes, FGF, VEGF, Wnt).
Main Results:
- Mesendoderm is transported to the midline via cell flows, forming the primitive streak.
- Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in the streak, involving junction breakdown and RhoA signaling.
- Mesendoderm migration is regulated by growth factor gradients (FGF, VEGF, Wnt) and N-cadherin.
- Hox gene expression colinearity correlates with the timing and order of epiblast cell ingression.
Conclusions:
- Chick gastrulation relies on coordinated cell flows and signaling pathways.
- EMT and regulated cell migration are essential for mesendoderm development.
- Hox genes play a critical role in controlling the spatiotemporal dynamics of gastrulation, though the precise mechanisms require further investigation.
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