Development. A degrading way to make an organ.
Working out how organs form during embryonic development is a fascinating area of research. In a witty Perspective, Jeff Hardin describes new findings (Nishiwaki et al.) that reveal the many intricate steps needed for gonads to form in the worm C. elegans. Two key players, GON-1 and MIG-17, are metalloproteases that may help migration of distal tip cells by degrading extracellular matrix components.
Hardin
J
J
Department of Zoology and Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin, 1117 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA. jdhardin@facstaff.wisc.edu
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002465:Cell Movement; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D006066:Gonads / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D009154:Mutation
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D019483:Disintegrins; C410348:MIG-17 protein, C elegans; C119674:GON-1 protein, C elegans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases