Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2025
09:16
Analyzing Craniofacial Morphogenesis in Zebrafish Using 4D Confocal Microscopy
Published on: January 30, 2014
11.2K
The Hippo pathway regulates axis formation and morphogenesis in Hydra
Maria Brooun1, Willi Salvenmoser2, Catherine Dana3
1Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X5, Canada.
Summary
The Hippo pathway regulates new axis formation in Hydra budding, acting upstream of the Wnt pathway. This finding suggests the Hippo pathway
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- The Wnt pathway is crucial for axis formation in Cnidaria and Bilateria.
- Understanding early metazoan body axis development is fundamental.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the Hippo pathway in axis formation during Hydra budding.
- To elucidate the relationship between the Hippo and Wnt pathways in early metazoan evolution.
Main Methods:
- Experimental manipulation of the Hippo pathway in Hydra.
- Analysis of gene expression and protein localization.
- Observation of budding initiation and cell behavior.
Main Results:
- The Hippo pathway, via YAP, inhibits budding initiation in Hydra.
- Hydra LATS regulates YAP activity.
- The Hippo pathway influences actin organization and cell proliferation in Hydra.
Conclusions:
- The Hippo pathway acts upstream of the Wnt pathway to regulate new axis formation during Hydra budding.
- The Hippo pathway may have linked cell division, density, and axis formation in early metazoan evolution.
Related Concept Videos
02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
7.5K
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
7.5K
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
2.7K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
2.7K
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
4.9K
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
4.9K
01:21Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins
2.8K
Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
2.8K
01:16Cell Motility through Blebbing
2.0K
Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.0K
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
2.7K
Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits. Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
2.7K