Coordinated cell polarization mediated by Wnts

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16KT0078
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Constructive Systems Biology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Sawa Hitoshi 国立遺伝学研究所, 遺伝形質研究系, 教授 (80222024)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-07-19 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞極性 / Wnt / Hox

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In animal development, a group of cells in a tissue are often polarized in the same orientation. Although such polarity is controlled by Wnt signaling, the mechanism regulating polarity orientation is poorly understood. We have found that polarity orientation of hypodermal stem cells in C. elegans is controlled by both gradient dependent and independent functions of Wnts. One of the Wnt receptor CAM-1/Ror is expressed in graded manner; higher in the anterior side of the body. Reversing this graded expression caused reversal of cell polarity. In addition, combined mutations of the Hox genes disrupted polarity. The results raised a possibility that polarity orientation is regulated by graded expression of the Wnt receptor that is established by the Hox genes.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞集団の極性が同調するいわゆるPCP制御は左右軸形成や形態形成など発生の様々な現象に重要である。Wnt濃度勾配が極性方向を制御するというこれまでのいくつかの報告では、均一なWntの発現実験により極性が異常になることを根拠にしているが、単純に過剰発現の結果である可能性を否定できない。我々の結果から他の生物においてもHoxや受容体発現勾配によって極性方向が制御されている可能性が指摘できる。