Phosphoinositides and Cell Polarity in the Drosophila Egg Chamber

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) are essential membrane components. They are localized at distinct membrane domains and recruit distinct effectors; they play an important role in the maintenance of membrane identity. They are essential for many cellular functions that include membrane trafficking, cytoskeletal organization, cell polarity and tissue morphogenesis. Cell polarity is also controlled by a set of polarity proteins, the PAR proteins, well conserved among bilaterians. These proteins are part of two dynamic networks that are engaged in a mutual negative-feedback regulation. PAR proteins control cell polarity by regulating cytoskeletal organization, asymmetric distributions of cellular components and directional transport through the cells. They share common activities with the PIPs in the control of intracellular polarity. Therefore, the analysis of potential cross talks between polarity proteins and PIPs is particularly important. The Drosophila egg chamber provides a very good model system to study the processes that control cell polarity. It includes the oocyte, a large cell in which asymmetric transport is very easy to monitor. Furthermore, the oocyte is surrounded by a follicular epithelium that allows the study of cross talks between polarity and tissue morphogenesis. This review focuses on the polarization of Drosophila egg chamber and our understanding of PIPs requirement during Drosophila oogenesis and discusses the relationship between PIPs and polarity proteins.