PUBLICATION
A gap junction connexin is required in the vertebrate left-right organizer
- Authors
- Hatler, J.M., Essner, J.J., and Johnson, R.G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-091023-7
- Date
- 2009
- Source
- Developmental Biology 336(2): 183-191 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Essner, Jeffrey
- Keywords
- Connexin, Kupffer's vesicle, Left–right asymmetry, Morphogenesis
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Body Patterning*
- Connexin 43/genetics
- Connexin 43/physiology*
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Mosaicism
- Zebrafish
- PubMed
- 19799895 Full text @ Dev. Biol.
Citation
Hatler, J.M., Essner, J.J., and Johnson, R.G. (2009) A gap junction connexin is required in the vertebrate left-right organizer. Developmental Biology. 336(2):183-191.
Abstract
Early patterning of vertebrate embryos involves the generation of asymmetric signals across the left-right (L-R) axis that position and are required for the proper function of internal organs. This patterning is directed by a conserved nodal/lefty signaling cascade on the left side of the embryo, thought to be asymmetrically directed by ciliary beating that generates a leftward fluid flow in the mammalian node and in Kupffer's vesicle (KV), the related structure in zebrafish. Following morpholino knockdown of Cx43.4, asymmetric gene expression and global organ distribution are randomized, consistent with the expression of Cx43.4 in KV. Randomization is recapitulated in mosaic embryos in which Cx43.4 is depleted preferentially in KV cells, showing that Cx43.4 is specifically required in KV for proper L-R axis formation. The mechanistic basis for the laterality anomalies in Cx43.4-deficient embryos is a primary morphogenesis defect during lumen formation in KV. Additionally, the role of Cx43.4 appears to be conserved given that its ortholog, human Cx45, is able to functionally compensate for zebrafish Cx43.4 during L-R patterning. This is the first report linking connexin function in the ciliated, node-like cells of KV with normal L-R axis development.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping