Morphogen Gradient Formation

Wartlick, Ortrud; Kicheva, Anna; González‐Gaitán, Marcos

doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a001255

Cited by 266 publications

(256 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…6 B, D, and D′). Similar to some other reported organizer morphogens, this gradient shows an exponential decay, fitting Wolpert's diffusion degradation model (29). However, due to its punctate nature, measurements of this gradient fluctuate (in contrast with the smooth curve of a deterministic gradient).…”

Section: Identifying Cellular and Molecular Activities Present In Thementioning

confidence: 74%

Shaping organs by a wingless-int/Notch/nonmuscle myosin module which orients feather bud elongation

Chen

Jiang

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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How organs are shaped to specific forms is a fundamental issue in developmental biology. To address this question, we used the repetitive, periodic pattern of feather morphogenesis on chicken skin as a model. Avian feathers within a single tract extend from dome-shaped primordia to thin conical structures with a common axis of orientation. From a systems biology perspective, the process is precise and robust. Using tissue transplantation assays, we demonstrate that a "zone of polarizing activity," localized in the posterior feather bud, is necessary and sufficient to mediate the directional elongation. This region contains a spatially well-defined nuclear β-catenin zone, which is induced by wingless-int (Wnt)7a protein diffusing in from posterior bud epithelium. Misexpressing nuclear β-catenin randomizes feather polarity. This dermal nuclear β-catenin zone, surrounded by Notch1 positive dermal cells, induces Jagged1. Inhibition of Notch signaling disrupts the spatial configuration of the nuclear β-catenin zone and leads to randomized feather polarity. Mathematical modeling predicts that lateral inhibition, mediated by Notch signaling, functions to reduce Wnt7a gradient variations and fluctuations to form the sharp boundary observed for the dermal β-catenin zone. This zone is also enriched for nonmuscle myosin IIB. Suppressing nonmuscle myosin IIB disrupts directional cell rearrangements and abolishes feather bud elongation. These data suggest that a unique molecular module involving chemical-mechanical coupling converts a pliable chemical gradient to a precise domain, ready for subsequent mechanical action, thus defining the position, boundary, and duration of localized morphogenetic activity that molds the shape of growing organs.anterior-posterior axial orientation | boundary formation | denoising | morphogen gradient

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Section: Identifying Cellular and Molecular Activities Present In Thementioning

confidence: 74%

Shaping organs by a wingless-int/Notch/nonmuscle myosin module which orients feather bud elongation

Chen

Jiang

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…through cell differentiation or cell proliferation, depending on their location within a tissue [20,21]. Studies of morphogen dynamics in a variety of model organisms and organ systems show that different mechanisms of morphogen production, spreading and degradation can lead to steady-state morphogen gradients with distinct shapes, among which decaying exponential and power-law distributions are common approximations [22,23]. As stated above, our morphometric data cannot provide clues about the particular mechanism producing the putative graded signal that likely operated in the trunk of A. koninckii, as different mechanisms can produce the same pattern, especially in a system undergoing growth [24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positional specification in the segmental growth pattern of an early arthropod

2014

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In many arthropods, there is a change in relative segment size during post-embryonic development, but how segment differential growth is produced is little known. A new dataset of the highest quality specimens of the 429 Myr old trilobite Aulacopleura koninckii provides an unparalleled opportunity to investigate segment growth dynamics and its control in an early arthropod. Morphometric analysis across nine post-embryonic stages revealed a growth gradient in the trunk of A. koninckii . We contrastively tested different growth models referable to two distinct hypotheses of growth control for the developing trunk: (i) a segment-specific control, with individual segments having differential autonomous growth progression, and (ii) a regional control, with segment growth depending on their relative position along the main axis. We show that the trunk growth pattern of A. koninckii was consistent with a regional growth control producing a continuous growth gradient that was stable across all developmental stages investigated. The specific posterior-to-anterior decaying shape of the growth gradient suggests it deriving from the linear transduction of a graded signal, similar to those commonly provided by morphogens. A growth control depending on a form of positional specification, possibly realized through the linear interpretation of a graded signal, may represent the primitive condition for arthropod differential growth along the main body axis, from which the diverse and generally more complex forms of growth control in subsequent arthropods have evolved.

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“…1,2,4 A large number of experimental and theoretical investigations on the formation and functioning of morphogen gradients has appeared in recent years. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]21,22 However, many aspects of biological signaling remain not well understood. 4,6 One of the most important problems of the biological development is to understand the mechanisms of the morphogen gradients formation.…”

Section: Figure 0: Toc Graphicmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Model for Understanding Mechanisms of Biological Signaling: Direct Transport via Cytonemes

Teimouri

Kolomeisky

2015

J. Phys. Chem. Lett.

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Biological signaling is a crucial natural process that governs the formation of all multicellular organisms. It relies on efficient and fast transfer of information between different cells and tissues. It has been presumed for a long time that these long-distance communications in most systems can take place only indirectly via the diffusion of signaling molecules, also known as morphogens, through the extracellular fluid. However, recent experiments indicate that there is also an alternative direct delivery mechanism. It utilizes dynamic tubular cellular extensions, called cytonemes, that directly connect cells, supporting the flux of morphogens to specific locations. We present a first quantitative analysis of the cytoneme-mediated mechanism of biological signaling. Dynamics of the formation of signaling molecule profiles, which are also known as morphogen gradients, is discussed. It is found that the direct-delivery mechanism is more robust with respect to fluctuations in comparison with the passive diffusion mechanism. In addition, we show that the direct transport of morphogens through cytonemes

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Morphogen Gradient Formation

Cited by 266 publications

References 85 publications

Shaping organs by a wingless-int/Notch/nonmuscle myosin module which orients feather bud elongation

Shaping organs by a wingless-int/Notch/nonmuscle myosin module which orients feather bud elongation

Positional specification in the segmental growth pattern of an early arthropod

New Model for Understanding Mechanisms of Biological Signaling: Direct Transport via Cytonemes

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