title: Semi-permeable Diffusion Barriers Enhance Patterning Robustness in the C. elegans Germline.
abstract: Positional information derived from local morphogen concentration plays an important role in patterning. A key question is how morphogen diffusion and gene expression regulation shape positional information into an appropriate profile with suitably low noise. We address this question using a model system--the C. elegans germline--whose regulatory network has been well characterized genetically but whose spatiotemporal dynamics are poorly understood. We show that diffusion within the germline syncytium is a critical control of stem cell differentiation and that semi-permeable diffusion barriers present at key locations make it possible--in combination with a feedback loop in the germline regulatory network--for mitotic zone size to be robust against spatial noise in Notch signaling. Spatial averaging within compartments defined by diffusion barriers is an advantageous patterning strategy, which attenuates noise while still allowing for sharp transitions between compartments. This strategy could apply to other organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cinquin
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Likun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Pete H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. Electronic address: olivier.cinquin@uci.edu.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cinquin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051880:Receptors, Notch