Related Experiment Video For cell adhesion
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging
Published on: October 3, 2017
Planar cell polarity complex internalization is dependent on Celsr1 cis-dimerization
Sarah G Latario1,2, Thomas Saba1,2, Brandon Trejo3
1Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
Abstract:
Planar cell polarity (PCP) coordinates collective cell polarity along a tissue plane through the asymmetric localization of junctional complexes comprised of core transmembrane proteins: Celsr1, Fz6, and Vangl2. Basal cells of embryonic mouse epidermis undergo numerous cell divisions to support the developing tissue while also maintaining tissue-level polarity. To achieve this, junctional PCP complexes are selectively co-internalized by the dividing cell, facilitating the restoration of tissue polarity upon mitotic exit. In Celsr1 Crsh/Crsh epidermis, we identify aberrant mitotic internalization of Celsr1 and Fz6, and a failure to co-internalize Vangl2. Mixed-cell in vitro assays reveal Crsh is deficient in mediating trans-endocytosis of Celsr1 and Vangl2. These defects are rescued through forced dimerization of Crsh, supporting the hypothesis that Celsr1 adhesive interactions stabilized by cis-dimers are required for both PCP establishment and maintenance via trans-endocytosis of PCP complexes. Overall, these findings establish a Celsr1 dimerization-dependent mechanism for control of tissue polarity during cell division.
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