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Notch-signalling is required for head regeneration and tentacle patterning in Hydra
Sandra Münder1, Susanne Tischer, Maresa Grundhuber
1Department of Biology 2, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Developmental Biology
|September 10, 2013
Summary
Notch-signalling is crucial for hydra head regeneration by restricting tentacle formation. This pathway works with Wnt-signalling to establish the head organizer, essential for proper body plan development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cell signalling
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Organizing regions act as signaling centers for tissue development.
- The hydra hypostome is a head organizer that regenerates after removal.
- Wnt-signalling and β-catenin are key molecular components of the hydra head organizer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Notch-signalling in hydra head regeneration.
- To determine how hypostome and tentacle patterning is achieved.
- To identify signals required for re-establishing the organizer after head removal.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of Notch-signalling in hydra regeneration.
- Blocked Notch-signalling to observe effects on head structure.
- Analyzed gene expression patterns related to tentacle boundaries.
Main Results:
- Notch-signalling is required for re-establishing the head organizer during regeneration.
- Blocking Notch-signalling results in excess tentacle tissue and irregular head structures.
- Lateral inhibition via HvNotch and HyHes is necessary for head regeneration and organizer formation.
Conclusions:
- Notch-signalling plays a vital role in restricting tentacle activation and defining tentacle patterns in the hydra head.
- The integration of Wnt-signalling and Notch-Delta activity was likely important for the evolution of animal body plans.
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03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
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01:33Whole Body Regeneration
Regeneration is the process of restoring injured or lost tissues, organs, or body parts. While simpler organisms generally show greater ability to regenerate their whole body, few complex animals show similarly exceptional regeneration. For example, planarian flatworms have a unique regenerative potential making them a popular study organism among biologists to understand the mechanisms of whole body regeneration. Other organisms, such as hydra, also show extreme regeneration potential; even...