PUBLICATION

Quantitative cell polarity imaging defines leader-to-follower transitions during collective migration and the key role of microtubule-dependent adherens junction formation

Authors
Revenu, C., Streichan, S., Donà, E., Lecaudey, V., Hufnagel, L., Gilmour, D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-140513-414
Date
2014
Source
Development (Cambridge, England)   141: 1282-91 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Gilmour, Darren, Lecaudey, Virginie, Revenu, Celine
Keywords
Cell adhesion, Collective migration, Lateral line, Microtubules, Morphogenesis, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Adherens Junctions/genetics
  • Adherens Junctions/physiology
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Body Patterning/genetics
  • Body Patterning/physiology
  • Cadherins/genetics
  • Cadherins/metabolism
  • Cell Movement/genetics
  • Cell Movement/physiology
  • Cell Polarity/genetics
  • Cell Polarity/physiology*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism
  • Lateral Line System/cytology
  • Lateral Line System/embryology
  • Lateral Line System/metabolism
  • Microtubules/genetics
  • Microtubules/physiology
  • Organogenesis/genetics
  • Organogenesis/physiology
  • Recombinant Proteins/genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
24595289 Full text @ Development
Abstract
The directed migration of cell collectives drives the formation of complex organ systems. A characteristic feature of many migrating collectives is a 'tissue-scale' polarity, whereby 'leader' cells at the edge of the tissue guide trailing 'followers' that become assembled into polarised epithelial tissues en route. Here, we combine quantitative imaging and perturbation approaches to investigate epithelial cell state transitions during collective migration and organogenesis, using the zebrafish lateral line primordium as an in vivo model. A readout of three-dimensional cell polarity, based on centrosomal-nucleus axes, allows the transition from migrating leaders to assembled followers to be quantitatively resolved for the first time in vivo. Using live reporters and a novel fluorescent protein timer approach, we investigate changes in cell-cell adhesion underlying this transition by monitoring cadherin receptor localisation and stability. This reveals that while cadherin 2 is expressed across the entire tissue, functional apical junctions are first assembled in the transition zone and become progressively more stable across the leader-follower axis of the tissue. Perturbation experiments demonstrate that the formation of these apical adherens junctions requires dynamic microtubules. However, once stabilised, adherens junction maintenance is microtubule independent. Combined, these data identify a mechanism for regulating leader-to-follower transitions within migrating collectives, based on the relocation and stabilisation of cadherins, and reveal a key role for dynamic microtubules in this process.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping