Sunday September 23, 2012 11:00 - 11:30 @ Rhodes 7 

Motility and guided migration of zebrafish Primordial Germ Cells

Abstract:

The migration of Primordial Germ Cells in zebrafish serves as a model for single-cell migration in development, homeostasis, and disease. We use this model to investigate the basic cellular mechanisms directing cells into motile behavior and those allowing the cells to respond to directional cues.

We found that the chemokine Cxcl12a guides the cells towards their targets and that the spatial distribution of the chemokine in the tissue is controlled by a combination of transcriptional regulation and regulation of the half life of the ligand in the extracellular environment.

In addition, we identified a minimal set of parameters the regulation of which confers proper morphology and cell motility. We have defined myosin contractility, cell adhesion, and cortex properties as factors whose proper regulation is sufficient for conferring motility to this cell type. Tight control over the level of these cellular features, achieved through a balance between miRNA-430 function and the action of the RNA-binding protein Dead end facilitates germ cell polarization and active migration relative to cells in environment.