PUBLICATION

Germ cell migration in zebrafish is cyclopamine-sensitive but Smoothened-independent

Authors
Mich, J.K., Blaser, H., Thomas, N.A., Firestone, A.J., Yelon, D., Raz, E., and Chen, J.K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-090429-2
Date
2009
Source
Developmental Biology   328(2): 342-354 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Blaser, Heiko, Chen, James K., Firestone, Ari, Mich, John, Raz, Erez, Yelon, Deborah
Keywords
Primordial germ cell, Zebrafish, Hedgehog signaling, Smoothened, Cyclopamine
MeSH Terms
  • Signal Transduction/drug effects
  • Signal Transduction/physiology
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
  • Animals
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/physiology*
  • Chemotaxis/drug effects
  • Chemotaxis/physiology
  • Hedgehog Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
  • Hedgehog Proteins/metabolism*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/physiology
  • Cell Polarity/drug effects
  • Cell Polarity/physiology
  • Veratrum Alkaloids/pharmacology*
  • Germ Cells/drug effects
  • Germ Cells/physiology*
  • Cell Movement/drug effects
  • Cell Movement/physiology*
  • Cell Adhesion/drug effects
  • Cell Adhesion/physiology
(all 22)
PubMed
19389352 Full text @ Dev. Biol.
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the progenitors of reproductive cells in metazoans and are an important model for the study of cell migration in vivo. Previous reports have suggested that Hedgehog (Hh) protein acts as a chemoattractant for PGC migration in the Drosophila embryo and that downstream signaling proteins such as Patched (Ptc) and Smoothened (Smo) are required for PGC localization to somatic gonadal precursors. Here we interrogate whether Hh signaling is required for PGC migration in vertebrates, using the zebrafish as a model system. We find that cyclopamine, an inhibitor of Hh signaling, causes strong defects in the migration of PGCs in the zebrafish embryo. However, these defects are not due to inhibition of Smoothened (Smo) by cyclopamine; rather, we find that neither maternal nor zygotic Smo is required for PGC migration in the zebrafish embryo. Cyclopamine instead acts independently of Smo to decrease the motility of zebrafish PGCs, in part by dysregulating cell adhesion and uncoupling cell polarization and translocation. These results demonstrate that Hh signaling is not required for zebrafish PGC migration, and underscore the importance of regulated cell-cell adhesion for cell migration in vivo.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Figure Gallery (10 images)
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
No data available
Mutations / Transgenics
Allele Construct Type Affected Genomic Region
b577
    		Point Mutation
    er1TgTransgenic Insertion
      hi1640TgTransgenic Insertion
      tbx392
        		Point Mutation
        tm15a
          		Point Mutation
          ts269
            		Point Mutation
            ty119
              		Point Mutation
              1 - 7 of 7
              Show
              Human Disease / Model
              No data available
              Sequence Targeting Reagents
              Target Reagent Reagent Type
              cdh1MO6-cdh1MRPHLNO
              cxcl12aMO3-cxcl12aMRPHLNO
              cxcl12bMO2-cxcl12bMRPHLNO
              smoMO4-smoMRPHLNO
              1 - 4 of 4
              Show
              Fish
              Fish
              disp1tm15a/+
              er1Tg
              gli1ts269/+
              gli2aty119/+
              shhatbx392/+
              smob577/b577
              smohi1640Tg/hi1640Tg
              1 - 7 of 7
              Show
              Antibodies
              Name Type Antigen Genes Isotypes Host Organism
              Ab1-actbmonoclonal
                		IgG1Mouse
                Ab1-ddx4Rabbit
                Ab3-tubamonoclonal
                  		IgG1Mouse
                  1 - 3 of 3
                  Show
                  Orthology
                  No data available
                  Engineered Foreign Genes
                  Marker Marker Type Name
                  EGFPEFGEGFP
                  1 - 1 of 1
                  Show
                  Mapping
                  No data available
                  Your Input Welcome
                  We welcome your input and comments. Please use this form to recommend updates to the information in ZFIN. We appreciate as much detail as possible and references as appropriate. We will review your comments promptly.
                  Citation
                  Mich, J.K., Blaser, H., Thomas, N.A., Firestone, A.J., Yelon, D., Raz, E., and Chen, J.K. (2009) Germ cell migration in zebrafish is cyclopamine-sensitive but Smoothened-independent. Developmental Biology. 328(2):342-354.