RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Control of convergent yolk syncytial layer nuclear movement in zebrafish
JF Development
JO Development
FD The Company of Biologists Limited
SP 1305
OP 1315
DO 10.1242/dev.026922
VO 136
IS 8
A1 Carvalho, Lara
A1 Stühmer, Jan
A1 Bois, Justin S.
A1 Kalaidzidis, Yannis
A1 Lecaudey, Virginie
A1 Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp
YR 2009
UL http://dev.biologists.org/content/136/8/1305.abstract
AB Nuclear movements play an essential role in metazoan development. Although the intracellular transport mechanisms underlying nuclear movements have been studied in detail, relatively little is known about signals from surrounding cells and tissues controlling these movements. Here, we show that, in gastrulating zebrafish embryos, convergence movements of nuclei within the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) are guided by mesoderm and endoderm progenitors migrating along the surface of the yolk towards the dorsal side of the developing gastrula. Progenitor cells direct the convergence movements of internal yolk syncytial nuclei (iYSN) by modulating cortical flow within the YSL in which the iYSN are entrained. The effect of mesoderm and endoderm progenitors on the convergence movement of iYSN depends on the expression of E-cadherin, indicating that adhesive contact between the cells and the YSL is required for the mesendoderm-modulated YSL cortical flow mediating nuclear convergence. In summary, our data reveal a crucial function for cortical flow in the coordination of syncytial nuclear movements with surrounding cells and tissues during zebrafish gastrulation.