Positioning of longitudinal nerves in C. elegans by nidogen.
Basement membranes can help determine pathways of migrating axons. Although members of the nidogen (entactin) protein family are structural components of basement membranes, we find that nidogen is not required for basement membrane assembly in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Nidogen is localized to body wall basement membranes and is required to direct longitudinal nerves dorsoventrally and to direct axons at the midlines. By examining migration of a single axon in vivo, we show that nidogen is required for the axon to switch from circumferential to longitudinal migration. Specialized basement membranes may thus regulate nerve position.
Kim
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Department of Pathology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854-5635, USA.
Wadsworth
W G
WG
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D019521:Body Patterning; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015870:Gene Expression; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D009420:Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C102174:UNC-40 protein, C elegans; C029967:nidogen