title: Cell polarity: netrin calms an excitable system.
abstract: In a tractable model for cell invasion, the Caenorhabditis elegans anchor cell migrates through basement membranes towards a polarity cue provided by netrin. A new study reveals that the anchor cell polarity network can break symmetry and oscillate in the absence of netrin, suggesting the presence of interlinked positive and negative feedback loops, which are common in polarity pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Allison W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. Electronic address: Daniel.lew@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lew
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins