title: Regulation of leg size and shape: involvement of the Dachsous-fat signaling pathway.
abstract: How limb size and shape is regulated is a long-standing question in developmental and regeneration biology. Recently, the protocadherin Dachsous-Fat (Ds-Ft) signaling pathway has been found to be essential for wing development of the fly and leg regeneration of the cricket. The Ds-Ft signaling pathway is linked to the Warts-Hippo (Wts-Hpo) signaling pathway, leading to cell proliferation. Several lines of evidence have suggested that the Wts-Hpo signaling pathway is involved in the control of organ size, and that this pathway is regulated by Ds-Ft and Merlin-Expanded, which are linked to morphogens such as decapentaplegic/bone morphogenic protein, Wingless/Wnt, and epidermal growth factor. Here we review recent progress in elucidating mechanisms controlling leg size and shape in insects and vertebrates, focusing on the Ds-Ft signaling pathway. We also introduce a working model, Ds-Ft steepness model, to explain how steepness of the Ds-Ft gradient controls leg size along the proximodistal axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Systems, Institute of Technology and Science, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima City, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bando
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mito
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hideyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohuchi
authors.forename: Sumihare
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005121:Extremities / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism