Clarifying the function of ciliated cells in the breaking of left–right symmetry

Clarifying the function of ciliated cells in the breaking of left–right symmetry

understanding cell functions, advancing medical research

Sep 14, 2012

Under the leadership of HAMADA Hiroshi , Professor, Developmental Genetics Croup, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences , Osaka University, a group of researchers have clarified the role played by Pkd2 (aka TRPP2) in the sensing of nodal fluid flow in ciliated cells, specifically the cilia of crown cells at the edge of the node. This is a big step toward the clarification of the processes involved in the breaking of left-right (L-R) symmetry as exhibited in the asymmetry of most visceral organs in vertebrates.

This research was conducted in a joint research project involving researchers at Yale University(U.S.A.), University of the Algarve (Portugal), The University of Münster (Germany), and (in Japan) NAKAI Junichi , Professor, Brain Science Institute, Saitama University, SASAKI Hiroshi , Professor, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, and NONAKA Shigenori , Associate professor, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences.

Abstract :

"Unidirectional fluid flow plays an essential role in the breaking of left-right (L-R) symmetry in mouse embryos, but it has remained unclear how the flow is sensed by the embryo. We report that the Ca2+ channel Pkd2 is required specifically in the perinodal crown cells for sensing the nodal flow. Examination of mutant forms of Pkd2 shows that the ciliary localization of Pkd2 is essential for correct L-R patterning. Whereas Kif3a mutant embryos, which lack all cilia, failed to respond to an artificial flow, restoration of primary cilia in crown cells rescued the response to the flow. Our results thus suggest that nodal flow is sensed in a manner dependent on Pkd2 by the cilia of crown cells located at the edge of the node."

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To read the full research report entitled " Cilia at the Node of Mouse Embryos Sense Fluid Flow for Left-Right Determination via Pkd2 , " please go to this page at the Science website.

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