title: Cell polarity and asymmetric cell division: the C. elegans early embryo.
abstract: Cell polarity is crucial for many functions including cell migration, tissue organization and asymmetric cell division. In animal cells, cell polarity is controlled by the highly conserved PAR (PARtitioning defective) proteins. par genes have been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans in screens for maternal lethal mutations that disrupt cytoplasmic partitioning and asymmetric division. Although PAR proteins were identified more than 20 years ago, our understanding on how they regulate polarity and how they are regulated is still incomplete. In this chapter we review our knowledge of the processes of cell polarity establishment and maintenance, and asymmetric cell division in the early C. elegans embryo. We discuss recent findings that highlight new players in cell polarity and/or reveal the molecular details on how PAR proteins regulate polarity processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noatynska
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060049:Asymmetric Cell Division / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins