Nectins Establish a Checkerboard-Like Cellular Pattern in the Auditory Epithelium

作者：Togashi Hideru; Kominami Kanoko; Waseda Masazumi; Komura Hitomi; Miyoshi Jun; Takeichi Masatoshi; Takai Yoshimi^*

来源：Science, 2011, 333(6046): 1144-1147.

DOI：10.1126/science.1208467

In the auditory epithelium of the cochlea, the sensory hair cells and supporting cells are arranged in a checkerboard-like fashion, but the mechanism underlying this cellular patterning is unclear. We found that mouse hair cells and supporting cells express the immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecules nectin-1 and -3, respectively, and that their interaction mediates the heterotypic adhesion between these two cell types. Genetic removal of nectin-1 or -3 disrupted the checkerboard-like pattern, inducing aberrant attachment between hair cells. When cells expressing either nectin-1 or -3 were cocultured, they arranged themselves into a mosaic pattern. Thus, nectin-1 and -3 promote the formation of the checkerboard-like pattern of the auditory epithelia.

• 出版日期2011-8-26