PUBLICATION
N-cadherin is required for the polarized cell behaviors that drive neurulation in the zebrafish
- Authors
- Hong, E., and Brewster, R.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-060906-17
- Date
- 2006
- Source
- Development (Cambridge, England) 133(19): 3895-3905 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Brewster, Rachel, Hong, Elim
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Cadherins/genetics
- Cadherins/physiology*
- Cell Polarity/genetics
- Epithelium/metabolism
- Epithelium/ultrastructure
- Models, Biological
- Morphogenesis/genetics
- Mutation
- Nervous System/cytology
- Nervous System/embryology*
- Neural Tube Defects/genetics
- Neuroepithelial Cells/cytology
- Neuroepithelial Cells/physiology
- Zebrafish/embryology*
- Zebrafish/genetics
- PubMed
- 16943271 Full text @ Development
Citation
Hong, E., and Brewster, R. (2006) N-cadherin is required for the polarized cell behaviors that drive neurulation in the zebrafish. Development (Cambridge, England). 133(19):3895-3905.
Abstract
Through the direct analysis of cell behaviors, we address the mechanisms underlying anterior neural tube morphogenesis in the zebrafish and the role of the cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin (N-cad) in this process. We demonstrate that although the mode of neurulation differs at the morphological level between amphibians and teleosts, the underlying cellular mechanisms are conserved. Contrary to previous reports, the zebrafish neural plate is a multi-layered structure, composed of deep and superficial cells that converge medially while undergoing radial intercalation, to form a single cell-layered neural tube. Time-lapse recording of individual cell behaviors reveals that cells are polarized along the mediolateral axis and exhibit protrusive activity. In N-cad mutants, both convergence and intercalation are blocked. Moreover, although N-cad-depleted cells are not defective in their ability to form protrusions, they are unable to maintain them stably. Taken together, these studies uncover key cellular mechanisms underlying neural tube morphogenesis in teleosts, and reveal a role for cadherins in promoting the polarized cell behaviors that underlie cellular rearrangements and shape the vertebrate embryo.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping