title: Guidance of primordial germ cell migration by the chemokine SDF-1.
abstract: The signals directing primordial germ cell (PGC) migration in vertebrates are largely unknown. We demonstrate that sdf-1 mRNA is expressed in locations where PGCs are found and toward which they migrate in wild-type as well as in mutant embryos in which PGC migration is abnormal. Knocking down SDF-1 or its receptor CXCR4 results in severe defects in PGC migration. Specifically, PGCs that do not receive the SDF-1 signal exhibit lack of directional movement toward their target and arrive at ectopic positions within the embryo. Finally, we show that the PGCs can be attracted toward an ectopic source of the chemokine, strongly suggesting that this molecule provides a key directional cue for the PGCs.
authors.affiliation: Germ Cell Development, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doitsidou
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichman-Fried
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stebler
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Köprunner
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dörries
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Camila V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Esguerra
authors.forename: TinChung
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4