QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

doi: 10.1242/10.1242/dev.00109

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stollewerk, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stollewerk, A.

Recruitment of cell groups through Delta/Notch signalling during spider neurogenesis

Abteilung fuer Evolutionsgenetik, Institut fuer Genetik, Universitaet zu Koeln, Weyertal 121, 50931 Koeln, Germany

e-mail: angelika.stollewerk{at}uni-koeln.de

Accepted 30 August 2002

Early neurogenesis in the spider is characterised by a stereotyped pattern of sequential recruitment of neural cells from the neuroectoderm, comparable with neuroblast formation in Drosophila. However, in contrast to Drosophila, where single cells delaminate from the neuroectoderm, groups of cells adopt the neural fate and invaginate into the spider embryo. This raises the question of whether Delta/Notch signalling is involved in this process, as this system normally leads to a singling out of individual cells through lateral inhibition. I have therefore cloned homologues of Delta and Notch from the spider Cupiennius salei and studied their expression and function. The genes are indeed expressed during the formation of neural cells in the ventral neuroectoderm. Loss of function of either gene leads to an upregulation of the proneural genes and an altered morphology of the neuroectoderm that is comparable with Delta and Notch mutant phenotypes in Drosophila. Thus, although Delta/Notch signalling appears to be used in the same way as in Drosophila, the lateral inhibition process produces clusters of invaginating cells, rather than single cells. Intriguingly, neuroectodermal cells that are not invaginating seem to become neural cells at a later stage, while the epidermal cells are derived from lateral regions that overgrow the neuroectoderm. In this respect, the neuroectodermal region of the spider is more similar to the neural plate of vertebrates, than to the neuroectoderm of Drosophila.

Key words: Delta/Notch signalling, Neurogenesis, Lateral inhibition, Chelicerate, Cupiennius salei

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Oda, O. Nishimura, Y. Hirao, H. Tarui, K. Agata, and Y. Akiyama-Oda Progressive activation of Delta-Notch signaling from around the blastopore is required to set up a functional caudal lobe in the spider Achaearanea tepidariorum Development, June 15, 2007; 134(12): 2195 - 2205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Jenner Challenging received wisdoms: Some contributions of the new microscopy to the new animal phylogeny Integr. Comp. Biol., April 1, 2006; 46(2): 93 - 103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Hejnol and R. Schnabel The eutardigrade Thulinia stephaniae has an indeterminate development and the potential to regulate early blastomere ablations Development, March 15, 2005; 132(6): 1349 - 1361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Beermann, M. Aranda, and R. Schroder The Sp8 zinc-finger transcription factor is involved in allometric growth of the limbs in the beetle Tribolium castaneum Development, February 15, 2004; 131(4): 733 - 742. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Dove and A. Stollewerk Comparative analysis of neurogenesis in the myriapod Glomeris marginata (Diplopoda) suggests more similarities to chelicerates than to insects Development, May 15, 2003; 130(10): 2161 - 2171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]