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Author Spotlight: Mapping Cellular Connectivity in the Zebrafish Nervous System During Development and Regeneration
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Tunneling nanotubes enable intercellular transfer in zebrafish embryos.

Olga Korenkova1, Shiyu Liu1, Inès Prlesi2

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3691, Membrane Traffic and Pathogenesis, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.

Developmental Cell
|November 14, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Researchers confirmed functional, open-ended tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in zebrafish embryos. These structures transfer cargoes like organelles between cells, verifying their existence in live organisms.

Keywords:
TNT-like structuresTNTscytokinetic bridgescytonemesintercellular communicationintercellular connectionsorganelle transfertunneling nanotubeszebrafish embryozebrafish gastrula

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are intercellular connections facilitating cargo transport, but their existence in vivo remains unconfirmed.
  • Previous studies on TNTs primarily utilized cell cultures, leaving their role in live organisms and embryonic development uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and function of TNT-like structures in live zebrafish embryos.
  • To confirm the open-endedness and cargo transfer capabilities of embryonic TNTs.

Main Methods:

  • Mosaic labeling of gastrula cells in zebrafish embryos.
  • Morphological and mechanistic comparison with cell culture-derived TNTs.
  • Induction of TNT-like structures via Eps8 overexpression and CK666 treatment.
  • Demonstration of soluble cargo and organelle transfer.

Main Results:

  • TNT-like structures were observed alongside other cellular protrusions in zebrafish gastrula cells.
  • These embryonic TNTs shared morphological similarities and formation mechanisms with those in cell cultures.
  • Functional transfer of both soluble cargoes and organelles through these structures was confirmed, proving their open-endedness.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first evidence of functional, open-ended tunneling nanotubes in a living vertebrate embryo.
  • The findings validate the role of TNTs in intercellular material exchange during embryonic development.