Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2025
12:48
Isolation and Culture of Neural Crest Cells from Embryonic Murine Neural Tube
Published on: June 2, 2012
17.2K
Prickle2 regulates apical junction remodeling and tissue fluidity during vertebrate neurulation
Miho Matsuda1, Sergei Y Sokol1
1Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
The Journal of Cell Biology
|February 14, 2025
Summary
Prickle2 (Pk2) enhances tissue fluidity by remodeling apical junctions in Xenopus embryos, promoting cell elongation essential for neural tube development and anteroposterior axis formation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cell biology
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Neural tube formation requires tissue fluidity and the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway.
- Epithelial deformation during development depends on maintaining tissue integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Prickle2 (Pk2) in regulating tissue fluidity during neural tube development.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which Pk2 influences tissue properties and cell orientation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Xenopus embryos as a model system.
- Investigated the function of Prickle2 (Pk2) and its Ser/Thr-rich region (STR).
- Analyzed the involvement of Rac1, C-cadherin, and tricellular junctions.
Main Results:
- Pk2 increases tissue fluidity by promoting apical junction (AJ) remodeling.
- Pk2's function is mediated by its STR and requires Rac1.
- Pk2 depletion causes mediolateral cell orientation; Pk2 overexpression promotes anteroposterior cell elongation.
Conclusions:
- Pk2 regulates tissue fluidity through AJ dynamics, impacting cell shape and tissue elongation.
- Pk2-dependent tissue fluidity is crucial for anteroposterior axis formation in response to developmental cues.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins
2.2K
Plakins are large proteins with binding domains for microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and membrane-associated protein complexes at cell junctions. Plakin functions are evolutionarily conserved and are primarily involved in organizing the different components of the cytoskeleton by crosslinking them to each other and connecting them to the cell-matrix and cell adhesion complexes. They are also known to interact with signal transducers, serve as scaffolds for signaling...
2.2K
01:16Cell Motility through Blebbing
1.9K
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...
1.9K
01:30Neurulation
41.6K
Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the...
41.6K
01:29Tight Junctions
5.2K
Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...
5.2K
01:39Mechanism of Filopodia Formation
2.3K
Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
2.3K
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
2.5K
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...
2.5K