Defining a PARticular pathway of neural tube closure.
Mammalian neurulation is completed when the dorsolateral neural folds bend inwards, their tips make adhesive contacts across the midline, and the epithelia remodel to create a closed neural tube. Two recent papers (one by Camerer et al. in this issue of Developmental Cell) demonstrate a vital role for protease-activated G protein-coupled receptor signaling in these late closure events, opening up new avenues for exploring the molecular basis of mammalian neural tube morphogenesis.
UCL Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. a.copp@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Andrew J
AJ
Copp
Nicholas D E
ND
Greene
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044462:Receptors, Proteinase-Activated / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
D044463:Receptor, PAR-1; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D044462:Receptors, Proteinase-Activated