A Caenorhabditis elegans model for epithelial-neuronal transdifferentiation.
Understanding transdifferentiation-the conversion of one differentiated cell type into another-is important from both basic science and clinical perspectives. In Caenorhabditis elegans, an epithelial cell named Y is initially part of the rectum but later appears to withdraw, migrate, and then become a motor neuron named PDA. Here, we show that this represents a bona fide transdifferentiation event: Y has epithelial hallmarks without detectable neural characteristics, and PDA has no residual epithelial characteristics. Using available mutants and laser microsurgery, we found that transdifferentiation does not depend on fusion with a neighboring cell or require migration of Y away from the rectum, that other rectal epithelial cells are not competent to transdifferentiate, and that transdifferentiation requires the EGL-5 and SEM-4 transcription factors and LIN-12/Notch signaling. Our results establish Y-to-PDA transdifferentiation as a genetically tractable model for deciphering the mechanisms underlying cellular plasticity in vivo.
Jarriault
Sophie
S
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U596, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche, Illkirch, France. sophie@igbmc.u-strasbg.fr
Schwab
Yannick
Y
Greenwald
Iva
I
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D012007:Rectum / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C477318:Egl-5 protein, C elegans; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C082460:Lin-12 protein, C elegans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D014157:Transcription Factors; C100983:sem-4 protein, C elegans