PUBLICATION
Robust axis elongation by Nodal-dependent restriction of BMP signaling
- Authors
- Schauer, A., Pranjic-Ferscha, K., Hauschild, R., Heisenberg, C.P.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240220-1
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Development (Cambridge, England) 151(4): (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp
- Keywords
- Axial elongation, BMP signaling, Gastrulation, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Body Patterning*/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Morphogenesis/genetics
- Nodal Protein/genetics
- Nodal Protein/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
- Zebrafish*
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 38372390 Full text @ Development
Citation
Schauer, A., Pranjic-Ferscha, K., Hauschild, R., Heisenberg, C.P. (2024) Robust axis elongation by Nodal-dependent restriction of BMP signaling. Development (Cambridge, England). 151(4):.
Abstract
Embryogenesis results from the coordinated activities of different signaling pathways controlling cell fate specification and morphogenesis. In vertebrate gastrulation, both Nodal and BMP signaling play key roles in germ layer specification and morphogenesis, yet their interplay to coordinate embryo patterning with morphogenesis is still insufficiently understood. Here, we took a reductionist approach using zebrafish embryonic explants to study the coordination of Nodal and BMP signaling for embryo patterning and morphogenesis. We show that Nodal signaling triggers explant elongation by inducing mesendodermal progenitors but also suppressing BMP signaling activity at the site of mesendoderm induction. Consistent with this, ectopic BMP signaling in the mesendoderm blocks cell alignment and oriented mesendoderm intercalations, key processes during explant elongation. Translating these ex vivo observations to the intact embryo showed that, similar to explants, Nodal signaling suppresses the effect of BMP signaling on cell intercalations in the dorsal domain, thus allowing robust embryonic axis elongation. These findings suggest a dual function of Nodal signaling in embryonic axis elongation by both inducing mesendoderm and suppressing BMP effects in the dorsal portion of the mesendoderm.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping