Regulating morphogen gradients in the Drosophila wing.
During development, diffusible ligands, known as morphogens, are thought to move across fields of cells, regulating gene expression in a concentration dependent manner. The case for morphogens has been convincingly made for the Decapentapleigic (Dpp), Wingless (Wg) and Hedgehog (Hh) proteins in the Drosophila wing. In each case, the concentration of the morphogen's receptor plays an important role in shaping the morphogen gradient, through influencing ligand transport and/or stability. However, the relationships between each ligand/receptor pair are different. The role of heparan sulfated proteoglycans, endocytosis and novel exovesicles called argosomes in regulating morphogen distribution will also be discussed.
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. cadigan@bilogy.lsa.umich.edu
Kenneth M
KM
Cadigan
D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D004705:Endocytosis; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000196:embryology*; D051155:Wnt1 Protein
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D008024:Ligands; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila