Hedgehog on track: Long-distant signal transport and transfer through direct cell-to-cell contact

The function of Hedgehog (Hh) as a morphogen results from its long-distance distribution from producing to neighboring receiving cells within the developing tissue. This signal distribution enables, for example, the formation of a concentration gradient eliciting distinct cellular responses that will give rise to spatial patterning. Hh is a lipid modified protein and its dispersion is better guaranteed through cytonemes, cell protrusions that allow direct cell membrane contact and signal transfer at a distance. Hh and its receptor Patched (Ptc) meet at cytoneme contacts in a way that reminds synapses. Both Hh and Ptc require a recycling process prior to presentation in cytonemes. Increasing research on the role of cytonemes in Hh signaling is revealing cellular mechanisms that link signal transport through dynamic cytonemes with concurrent regulation of cell adhesion. The equilibrium between these two processes is being unveiled as crucial to both patterned morphogen distribution and signal transfer. In addition, these discoveries are pushing forward our understanding of the role of extracellular elements involved in the Hh pathway, such as the Hh coreceptors Ihog and Boi and the glypicans Dally and Dally-like protein (Dlp).