First published online September 28, 2006
Development 133, 2004e (2006)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
Semaphorin' neural crest signals
Neural crest cells (NCCs) are migratory cells that differentiate into
several cell types, including neurons and bone cells. NCCs proliferate before
and throughout their migration and differentiation. Wnt/TCF signalling helps
to control this proliferation but are any other factors involved? Berndt and
Halloran now report that the guidance molecule semaphorin 3d (Sema3d) acts
downstream of Wnt/TCF signalling to promote NCC proliferation and development
in the zebrafish hindbrain (see
p. 3983). The
researchers show that morpholino-mediated knockdown of Sema3d inhibits the
proliferation of hindbrain neuroepithelial cells at the time of their
epithelial-mesenchymal transition into migratory NCCs. It also reduces the
number of migratory NCCs and disrupts the development of NCC derivatives.
Other results indicate that Sema3d lies downstream of Wnt/TCF signalling; for
example, Sema3d overexpression rescues the reduced NCC proliferation caused by
expression of a dominant-repressor form of TCF. The researchers conclude from
their experiments that Sema3d function is important for regulating the cell
cycle of NCCs and for their subsequent development.
Related articles in Development:
- Semaphorin 3d promotes cell proliferation and neural crest cell development downstream of TCF in the zebrafish hindbrain
- Jason D. Berndt and Mary C. Halloran
Development 2006 133: 3983-3992.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
