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Cellular signalling protrusions enable dynamic distant contacts in spinal cord neurogenesis
Joshua Hawley1, Robert Lea1, Veronica Biga1
1Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
Biology Open
|January 21, 2025
Summary
Neural progenitor cells in developing mouse spinal cords use dynamic cellular protrusions to extend Notch signaling. These structures may influence the spacing of HES5-expressing cells, impacting neurogenesis organization.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Neuroscience
- Cell biology
Background:
- Notch signaling is crucial for neural progenitor cell differentiation.
- HES5 expression forms patterned clusters in the developing mouse spinal cord.
- Previous models suggested Notch signaling requires long-distance cell contact for HES5 patterning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular structures enabling long-distance Notch signaling in neural progenitor cells.
- To determine the role of these structures in HES5 patterning and neurogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Live imaging of developing mouse ventral spinal cord neural progenitor cells.
- Immunocolocalization of Notch ligand DLL1 with cellular protrusions.
- Pharmacological inhibition of cellular protrusion formation using ML141 (CDC42 inhibitor).
Main Results:
- Neural progenitor cells possess apicobasal cellular protrusions that dynamically extend and retract (up to ~20 µm).
- The Notch ligand DLL1 was observed to colocalize with these protrusions.
- Reducing protrusion density with ML141 showed a non-significant trend towards decreased inter-cluster distances for HES5-expressing cells.
Conclusions:
- Cellular protrusions in neural progenitor cells can mediate long-distance Notch signaling.
- The precise role of these protrusions in the fine-tuning of HES5 patterning and neurogenesis remains an open question.
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