Abstract
Rotational movement of the node cilia generates a leftward fluid flow in the mouse embryo because the cilia are posteriorly tilted. However, it is not known how anterior-posterior information is translated into the posterior tilt of the node cilia. Here, we show that the basal body of node cilia is initially positioned centrally but then gradually shifts toward the posterior side of the node cells. Positioning of the basal body and unidirectional flow were found to be impaired in compound mutant mice lacking Dvl genes. Whereas the basal body was normally positioned in the node cells of Wnt3a(-/-) embryos, inhibition of Rac1, a component of the noncanonical Wnt signalling pathway, impaired the polarized localization of the basal body in wild-type embryos. Dvl2 and Dvl3 proteins were found to be localized to the apical side of the node cells, and their location was polarized to the posterior side of the cells before the posterior positioning of the basal body. These results suggest that posterior positioning of the basal body, which provides the posterior tilt to node cilia, is determined by planar polarization mediated by noncanonical Wnt signalling.
Publication types
-
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
-
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
-
Aminoquinolines / pharmacology
-
Animals
-
Body Patterning / genetics
-
Body Patterning / physiology*
-
Cell Polarity / genetics
-
Cell Polarity / physiology*
-
Cilia / metabolism*
-
Dishevelled Proteins
-
Embryo, Mammalian
-
Embryonic Development / genetics
-
Embryonic Development / physiology*
-
Green Fluorescent Proteins
-
Mice
-
Mice, Mutant Strains
-
Microscopy, Confocal
-
Neuropeptides / antagonists & inhibitors
-
Neuropeptides / physiology
-
Phosphoproteins / genetics
-
Phosphoproteins / metabolism
-
Pyrimidines / pharmacology
-
Signal Transduction / genetics
-
Signal Transduction / physiology
-
Wnt Proteins / genetics
-
Wnt Proteins / metabolism
-
Wnt3 Protein
-
Wnt3A Protein
-
rac GTP-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
-
rac GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology
-
rac1 GTP-Binding Protein
Substances
-
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
-
Aminoquinolines
-
Dishevelled Proteins
-
Dvl2 protein, mouse
-
Dvl3 protein, mouse
-
NSC 23766
-
Neuropeptides
-
Phosphoproteins
-
Pyrimidines
-
Rac1 protein, mouse
-
Wnt Proteins
-
Wnt3 Protein
-
Wnt3A Protein
-
Wnt3a protein, mouse
-
enhanced green fluorescent protein
-
Green Fluorescent Proteins
-
rac GTP-Binding Proteins
-
rac1 GTP-Binding Protein