PUBLICATION

Migration of zebrafish primordial germ cells: a role for Myosin contraction and cytoplasmic flow

Authors
Blaser, H., Reichman-Fried, M., Castanon, I., Dumstrei, K., Marlow, F.L., Kawakami, K., Solnica-Krezel, L., Heisenberg, C.P., and Raz, E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-061108-16
Date
2006
Source
Developmental Cell   11(5): 613-627 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Blaser, Heiko, Dumstrei, Karin, Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp, Kawakami, Koichi, Marlow, Florence, Raz, Erez, Reichman-Fried, Michal, Solnica-Krezel, Lilianna
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Actins/physiology
  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane/physiology
  • Cell Polarity
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Chemokines, CXC/physiology
  • Chemotaxis*
  • Cytoplasm/physiology*
  • Cytoskeleton/physiology
  • Germ Cells/physiology*
  • Myosins/physiology*
  • Pseudopodia/physiology
  • Receptors, CXCR4/physiology
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
PubMed
17084355 Full text @ Dev. Cell
Abstract
The molecular and cellular mechanisms governing cell motility and directed migration in response to the chemokine SDF-1 are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that zebrafish primordial germ cells whose migration is guided by SDF-1 generate bleb-like protrusions that are powered by cytoplasmic flow. Protrusions are formed at sites of higher levels of free calcium where activation of myosin contraction occurs. Separation of the acto-myosin cortex from the plasma membrane at these sites is followed by a flow of cytoplasm into the forming bleb. We propose that polarized activation of the receptor CXCR4 leads to a rise in free calcium that in turn activates myosin contraction in the part of the cell responding to higher levels of the ligand SDF-1. The biased formation of new protrusions in a particular region of the cell in response to SDF-1 defines the leading edge and the direction of cell migration.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping