Ligand-binding and constitutive FGF receptors in single Drosophila tracheal cells: Implications for the role of FGF in collective migration.
BACKGROUND
The migration of individual cells relies on their capacity to evaluate differences across their bodies and to move either toward or against a chemoattractant or a chemorepellent signal respectively. However, the direction of collective migration is believed to depend on the internal organization of the cell cluster while the role of the external signal is limited to single out some cells in the cluster, conferring them with motility properties.


RESULTS
Here we analyzed the role of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling in collective migration in the Drosophila trachea. While ligand-binding FGF receptor (FGFR) activity in a single cell can drive migration of a tracheal cluster, we show that activity from a constitutively activated FGFR cannot-an observation that contrasts with previously analyzed cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that individual cells in the tracheal cluster can "read" differences in the distribution of FGFR activity and lead migration of the cluster accordingly. Thus, FGF can act as a chemoattractant rather than as a motogen in collective cell migration. This finding has many implications in both development and pathology.
Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (CSIC) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Gaëlle
G
Lebreton
Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (CSIC) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Jordi
J
Casanova
D000825:Animal Structures / Q000196:embryology*; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology*; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor
Drosophila; trachea; FGF; chemoattractant; migration