title: Asymmetric distribution of the apical plasma membrane during neurogenic divisions of mammalian neuroepithelial cells.
abstract: At the onset of neurogenesis in the mammalian central nervous system, neuroepithelial cells switch from symmetric, proliferative to asymmetric, neurogenic divisions. In analogy to the asymmetric division of Drosophila neuroblasts, this switch of mammalian neuroepithelial cells is thought to involve a change in cleavage plane orientation from perpendicular (vertical cleavage) to parallel (horizontal cleavage) relative to the apical surface of the neuroepithelium. Here, we report, using TIS21-GFP knock-in mouse embryos to identify neurogenic neuroepithelial cells, that at the onset as well as advanced stages of neurogenesis the vast majority of neurogenic divisions, like proliferative divisions, show vertical cleavage planes. Remarkably, however, neurogenic divisions of neuroepithelial cells, but not proliferative ones, involve an asymmetric distribution to the daughter cells of the apical plasma membrane, which constitutes only a minute fraction (1-2%) of the entire neuroepithelial cell plasma membrane. Our results support a novel concept for the cell biological basis of asymmetric, neurogenic divisions of neuroepithelial cells in the mammalian central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kosodo
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Röper
authors.forename: Wulf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haubensak
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marzesco
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corbeil
authors.forename: Wieland B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Huttner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003285:Contractile Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006579:Heterozygote; D051379:Mice; D046569:Neuroepithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003285:Contractile Proteins; C095886:anillin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA