Migratory neural crest cell alpha N-catenin impacts chick trigeminal ganglia formation

作者：Wu Chyong Yi; Hooper Rachel M; Han Kyeong; Taneyhill Lisa A^*

来源：Developmental Biology, 2014, 392(2): 295-307.

DOI：10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.05.016

• Neural crest
• Placode
• Trigeminal ganglia
• Cadherins
• Catenins

Neural crest cells are an embryonic cell population that is crucial for proper vertebrate development. Initially localized to the dorsal neural folds, premigratory neural crest cells undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migrate to their final destinations in the developing embryo. Together with epidermally-derived placode cells, neural crest cells then form the cranial sensory ganglia of the peripheral nervous system. Our prior work has shown that alpha N-catenin, the neural subtype of the adherens junction alpha-catenin protein, regulates cranial neural crest cell EMT by controlling premigratory neural crest cell cadherin levels. Although alpha N-catenin down-regulation is critical for initial neural crest cell EMT, a potential role for alpha N-catenin in later neural crest cell migration, and formation of the cranial ganglia, has not been examined. In this study, we show for the first time that migratory neural crest cells that will give rise to the cranial trigeminal ganglia express alpha N-catenin and Cadherin-7. alpha N-catenin loss- and gain-of-function experiments reveal effects on the migratory neural crest cell population that include subsequent defects in trigeminal ganglia assembly. Moreover, alpha N-catenin perturbation in neural crest cells impacts the placode cell contribution to the trigeminal ganglia and also changes neural crest cell Cadherin-7 levels and localization. Together, these results highlight a novel function for alpha N-catenin in migratory neural crest cells that form the trigeminal ganglia.

• 出版日期2014-8-15