Shroom3 is required downstream of FGF signalling to mediate proneuromast assembly in zebrafish
07.11.2012
Ernst S, Liu K, Agarwala S, Moratscheck N, Avci ME, Nogare DD, Chitnis AB, Ronneberger O, Lecaudey V.
Development. 2012;139(24):4571-81
During development, cells need to concurrently differentiate, change their shape and often migrate to form an organ. How signalling pathways coordinate these different processes in time and space is however unclear. The lateral line is a sensory system present in fishes allowing them to sense water movements. During zebrafish development, a group of cells simultaneously migrate and change their shape to form radially organized groups that prefigure the sensory organs of the lateral line. This process is controlled by FGF signalling.
Here we have dissected the mechanisms linking FGF signalling to these cell shape changes. We demonstrated that FGF signalling induces the expression of shroom3. Shroom3, in turn, activates non-muscle myosin activity in the apical part of the cells leading to their constriction and change of shape. In addition, we developed a unique trainable ‘rosette detector’ to quantify these changes in cell shape in an unbiased manner.
