Regulation of organ growth by morphogen gradients.
Morphogen gradients play a fundamental role in organ patterning and organ growth. Unlike their role in patterning, their function in regulating the growth and the size of organs is poorly understood. How and why do morphogen gradients exert their mitogenic effects to generate uniform proliferation in developing organs, and by what means can morphogens impinge on the final size of organs? The decapentaplegic (Dpp) gradient in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc has emerged as a suitable and established system to study organ growth. Here, we review models and recent findings that attempt to address how the Dpp morphogen contributes to uniform proliferation of cells, and how it may regulate the final size of wing discs.
Schwank
Gerald
G
Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Zurich.
Basler
Konrad
K
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002453:Cell Cycle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins