Microtubules induce self-organization of polarized PAR domains in Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes

From embryos to condensates: A developmental biologist's journey

I am the Huntington Sheldon Professor of Medical Discovery in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the School of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University, where I have been running a lab for 30 years. Our research focusses on the molecular control of embryonic polarity and germline development, with an emphasis on asymmetric cell division and biomolecular condensates. We have uncovered mechanisms that localize proteins and RNAs in the cytoplasm by controlling protein diffusion and RNA condensation. My lab has also characterized a repressive program that launches the germline by inhibiting somatic gene expression in germline progenitors.

Phosphorylation by Aurora kinase A facilitates cortical-cytoplasmic dynamics of Par-3 in asymmetric division of radial glia progenitors

During asymmetric cell division (ACD) of radial glia progenitors (RGPs), the cortical polarity regulator Par-3 is detected in the cytoplasm colocalizing with dynein and Notch ligand DeltaD (Dld). What drives Par-3 to the cytoplasm and its impact on RGP ACD remain unknown. Here, we visualize cytoplasmic Par-3 using in vivo time-lapse imaging and find that Ser954 of zebrafish Par-3 is phosphorylated by Aurora kinase A (AurkA) in vitro. Expression of the nonphosphorylated mutant Par-3S954A dominant negatively affects embryonic development, reduces cytoplasmic Par-3, and disrupts the anteroposterior asymmetry of cortical Par-3 and Dld endosomes and, in turn, daughter cell fate. AurkA in mitotic RGPs shows dynamic pericentrosomal distribution that transiently colocalizes with cortical Par-3 preferentially on the posterior side. AurkA is both necessary and sufficient to increase cytoplasmic while decreasing cortical Par-3, disrupts Par-3 cortical asymmetry, and perturbs polarized Dld endosome dynamics. These findings suggest that AurkA regulates Par-3 cortical-cytoplasmic dynamics that is critical for ACD and daughter cell fate.

Membrane extraction in native lipid nanodiscs reveals dynamic regulation of Cdc42 complexes during cell polarization

Embryonic development requires the establishment of cell polarity to enable cell fate segregation and tissue morphogenesis. This process is regulated by Par complex proteins, which partition into polarized membrane domains and direct downstream polarized cell behaviors. The kinase aPKC (along with its cofactor Par6) is a key member of this network and can be recruited to the plasma membrane by either the small GTPase Cdc42 or the scaffolding protein Par3. Although in vitro interactions among these proteins are well established, much is still unknown about the complexes they form during development. Here, to enable the study of membrane-associated complexes ex vivo, we used a maleic acid copolymer to rapidly isolate membrane proteins from single C. elegans zygotes into lipid nanodiscs. We show that native lipid nanodisc formation enables detection of endogenous complexes involving Cdc42, which are undetectable when cells are lysed in detergent. We found that Cdc42 interacts more strongly with aPKC/Par6 during polarity maintenance than polarity establishment, two developmental stages that are separated by only a few minutes. We further show that Cdc42 and Par3 do not bind aPKC/Par6 simultaneously, confirming recent in vitro findings in an ex vivo context. Our findings establish a new tool for studying membrane-associated signaling complexes and reveal an unexpected mode of polarity regulation via Cdc42.

Internal feedback circuits among MEX-5, MEX-6, and PLK-1 maintain faithful patterning in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

Proteins become asymmetrically distributed in the one-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryo thanks to reaction-diffusion mechanisms that are often entangled in complex feedback loops. Cortical polarity drives the enrichment of the RNA-binding proteins MEX-5 and MEX-6 in the anterior cytoplasm through concentration gradients. MEX-5 and MEX-6 promote the patterning of other cytoplasmic factors, including that of the anteriorly enriched mitotic polo-like kinase PLK-1, but also contribute to proper cortical polarity. The gradient of MEX-5 forms through a differential-diffusion mechanism. How MEX-6 establishes a gradient and how MEX-5 and MEX-6 regulate cortical polarity is not known. Here, we reveal that the two MEX proteins develop concentration asymmetries via similar mechanisms, but despite their strong sequence homology, they differ in terms of how their concentration gradients are regulated. We find that PLK-1 promotes the enrichment of MEX-5 and MEX-6 at the anterior through different circuits: PLK-1 influences the MEX-5 gradient indirectly by regulating cortical polarity while it modulates the formation of the gradient of MEX-6 through its physical interaction with the protein. We thus propose a model in which PLK-1 mediates protein circuitries between MEX-5, MEX-6, and cortical proteins to faithfully establish and maintain polarity.

Quantitative perturbation-phenotype maps reveal nonlinear responses underlying robustness of PAR-dependent asymmetric cell division

A key challenge in the development of an organism is to maintain robust phenotypic outcomes in the face of perturbation. Yet, it is often unclear how such robust outcomes are encoded by developmental networks. Here, we use the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote as a model to understand sources of developmental robustness during PAR polarity-dependent asymmetric cell division. By quantitatively linking alterations in protein dosage to phenotype in individual embryos, we show that spatial information in the zygote is read out in a highly nonlinear fashion and, as a result, phenotypes are highly canalized against substantial variation in input signals. Our data point towards robustness of the conserved PAR polarity network that renders polarity axis specification resistant to variations in both the strength of upstream symmetry-breaking cues and PAR protein dosage. Analogously, downstream pathways involved in cell size and fate asymmetry are robust to dosage-dependent changes in the local concentrations of PAR proteins, implying nontrivial complexity in translating PAR concentration profiles into pathway outputs. We propose that these nonlinear signal-response dynamics between symmetry-breaking, PAR polarity, and asymmetric division modules effectively insulate each individual module from variation arising in others. This decoupling helps maintain the embryo along the correct developmental trajectory, thereby ensuring that asymmetric division is robust to perturbation. Such modular organization of developmental networks is likely to be a general mechanism to achieve robust developmental outcomes.

Artificial cell system as a tool for investigating pattern formation mechanisms of intracellular reaction-diffusion waves

Intracellular positional information is crucial for the precise control of biological phenomena, including cell division, polarity, and motility. Intracellular reaction-diffusion (iRD) waves are responsible for regulating positional information within cells as morphogens in multicellular tissues. However, iRD waves are explained by the coupling of biochemical reactions and molecular diffusion which indicates nonlinear systems under far from equilibrium conditions. Because of this complexity, experiments using defined elements rather than living cells containing endogenous factors are necessary to elucidate their pattern formation mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the effectiveness of artificial cell systems for investigating iRD waves derived from their high controllability and ability to emulate cell-size space effects. We describe how artificial cell systems reveal the characteristics of iRD waves, including the mechanisms of wave generation, mode selection, and period regulation. Furthermore, we introduce remaining open questions and discuss future challenges even in Min waves and in applying artificial cell systems to various iRD waves.

Oligomerization and positive feedback on membrane recruitment encode dynamically stable PAR-3 asymmetries in the C. elegans zygote

Studies of PAR polarity have emphasized a paradigm in which mutually antagonistic PAR proteins form complementary polar domains in response to transient cues. A growing body of work suggests that the oligomeric scaffold PAR-3 can form unipolar asymmetries without mutual antagonism, but how it does so is largely unknown. Here we combine single molecule analysis and modeling to show how the interplay of two positive feedback loops promote dynamically stable unipolar PAR-3 asymmetries in early C. elegans embryos. First, the intrinsic dynamics of PAR-3 membrane binding and oligomerization encode negative feedback on PAR-3 dissociation. Second, membrane-bound PAR-3 promotes its own recruitment through a mechanism that requires the anterior polarity proteins CDC-42, PAR-6 and PKC-3. Using a kinetic model tightly constrained by our experimental measurements, we show that these two feedback loops are individually required and jointly sufficient to encode dynamically stable and locally inducible unipolar PAR-3 asymmetries in the absence of posterior inhibition. Given the central role of PAR-3, and the conservation of PAR-3 membrane-binding, oligomerization, and core interactions with PAR-6/aPKC, these results have widespread implications for PAR-mediated polarity in metazoa.

Optimized PAR-2 RING dimerization mediates cooperative and selective membrane binding for robust cell polarity

Cell polarity networks are defined by quantitative features of their constituent feedback circuits, which must be tuned to enable robust and stable polarization, while also ensuring that networks remain responsive to dynamically changing cellular states and/or spatial cues during development. Using the PAR polarity network as a model, we demonstrate that these features are enabled by the dimerization of the polarity protein PAR-2 via its N-terminal RING domain. Combining theory and experiment, we show that dimer affinity is optimized to achieve dynamic, selective, and cooperative binding of PAR-2 to the plasma membrane during polarization. Reducing dimerization compromises positive feedback and robustness of polarization. Conversely, enhanced dimerization renders the network less responsive due to kinetic trapping of PAR-2 on internal membranes and reduced sensitivity of PAR-2 to the anterior polarity kinase, aPKC/PKC-3. Thus, our data reveal a key role for a dynamically oligomeric RING domain in optimizing interaction affinities to support a robust and responsive cell polarity network, and highlight how optimization of oligomerization kinetics can serve as a strategy for dynamic and cooperative intracellular targeting.

Atypical Protein Kinase C Promotes its own Asymmetric Localisation by Phosphorylating Cdc42 in the C. elegans zygote

Atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is a major regulator of cell polarity. Acting in conjunction with Par6, Par3 and the small GTPase Cdc42, aPKC becomes asymmetrically localised and drives the polarisation of cells. aPKC activity is crucial for its own asymmetric localisation, suggesting a hitherto unknown feedback mechanism contributing to polarisation. Here we show in the C. elegans zygote that the feedback relies on aPKC phosphorylation of Cdc42 at serine 71. The turnover of CDC-42 phosphorylation ensures optimal aPKC asymmetry and activity throughout polarisation by tuning Par6/aPKC association with Par3 and Cdc42. Moreover, turnover of Cdc42 phosphorylation regulates actomyosin cortex dynamics that are known to drive aPKC asymmetry. Given the widespread role of aPKC and Cdc42 in cell polarity, this form of self-regulation of aPKC may be vital for the robust control of polarisation in many cell types.

Temporally distinct roles of Aurora A in polarization of the C. elegans zygote

During asymmetric cell division, cell polarity is coordinated with the cell cycle to allow proper inheritance of cell fate determinants and the generation of cellular diversity. In the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, polarity is governed by evolutionarily conserved Partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins that segregate to opposing cortical domains to specify asymmetric cell fates. Timely establishment of PAR domains requires a cell cycle kinase, Aurora A (AIR-1 in C. elegans). Aurora A depletion by RNAi causes a spectrum of phenotypes including reversed polarity, excess posterior domains and no posterior domain. How depletion of a single kinase can cause seemingly opposite phenotypes remains obscure. Using an auxin-inducible degradation system and drug treatments, we found that AIR-1 regulates polarity differently at different times of the cell cycle. During meiosis I, AIR-1 acts to prevent later formation of bipolar domains, whereas in meiosis II, AIR-1 is necessary to recruit PAR-2 onto the membrane. Together, these data clarify the origin of multiple polarization phenotypes in RNAi experiments and reveal multiple roles of AIR-1 in coordinating PAR protein localization with cell cycle progression.

Origin and development of primary animal epithelia

Epithelia are the first organized tissues that appear during development. In many animal embryos, early divisions give rise to a polarized monolayer, the primary epithelium, rather than a random aggregate of cells. Here, we review the mechanisms by which cells organize into primary epithelia in various developmental contexts. We discuss how cells acquire polarity while undergoing early divisions. We describe cases where oriented divisions constrain cell arrangement to monolayers including organization on top of yolk surfaces. We finally discuss how epithelia emerge in embryos from animals that branched early during evolution and provide examples of epithelia-like arrangements encountered in single-celled eukaryotes. Although divergent and context-dependent mechanisms give rise to primary epithelia, here we trace the unifying principles underlying their formation.

Order from chaos: cellular asymmetries explained with modelling

Molecules inside cells are subject to physical forces and undergo biochemical interactions, continuously changing their physical properties and dynamics. Despite this, cells achieve highly ordered molecular patterns that are crucial to regulate various cellular functions and to specify cell fate. In the Caenorhabditis elegans one-cell embryo, protein asymmetries are established in the narrow time window of a cell division. What are the mechanisms that allow molecules to establish asymmetries, defying the randomness imposed by Brownian motion? Mathematical and computational models have paved the way to the understanding of protein dynamics up to the 'single-molecule level' when resolution represents an issue for precise experimental measurements. Here we review the models that interpret cortical and cytoplasmic asymmetries in the one-cell C. elegans embryo.

Axis convergence in C. elegans embryos

Embryos develop in a surrounding that guides key aspects of their development. For example, the anteroposterior (AP) body axis is always aligned with the geometric long axis of the surrounding eggshell in fruit flies and worms. The mechanisms that ensure convergence of the AP axis with the long axis of the eggshell remain unresolved. We investigate axis convergence in early C. elegans development, where the nascent AP axis, when misaligned, actively re-aligns to converge with the long axis of the egg. We identify two physical mechanisms that underlie axis convergence. First, bulk cytoplasmic flows, driven by actomyosin cortical flows, can directly reposition the AP axis. Second, active forces generated within the pseudocleavage furrow, a transient actomyosin structure similar to a contractile ring, can drive a mechanical re-orientation such that it becomes positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the egg. This in turn ensures AP axis convergence. Numerical simulations, together with experiments that either abolish the pseudocleavage furrow or change the shape of the egg, demonstrate that the pseudocleavage-furrow-dependent mechanism is a major driver of axis convergence. We conclude that active force generation within the actomyosin cortical layer drives axis convergence in the early nematode.

Temporally distinct roles of Aurora A in polarization of the C. elegans zygote

During asymmetric cell division, coordination of cell polarity and the cell cycle is critical for proper inheritance of cell fate determinants and generation of cellular diversity. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), polarity is established in the zygote and is governed by evolutionarily conserved Partitioning defective (PAR) proteins that localize to distinct cortical domains. At the time of polarity establishment, anterior and posterior PARs segregate to opposing cortical domains that specify asymmetric cell fates. Timely establishment of these PAR domains requires a cell cycle kinase, Aurora A (AIR-1 in C.elegans). Aurora A depletion by RNAi causes a spectrum of phenotypes including no posterior domain, reversed polarity, and excess posterior domains. How depletion of a single kinase can cause seemingly opposite phenotypes remains obscure. Using an auxin-inducible degradation system, drug treatments, and high-resolution microscopy, we found that AIR-1 regulates polarity via distinct mechanisms at different times of the cell cycle. During meiosis I, AIR-1 acts to prevent the formation of bipolar domains, while in meiosis II, AIR-1 is necessary to recruit PAR-2 onto the membrane. Together these data clarify the origin of the multiple polarization phenotypes observed in RNAi experiments and reveal multiple roles of AIR-1 in coordinating PAR protein localization with the progression of the cell cycle.

Apical PAR protein caps orient the mitotic spindle in C. elegans early embryos

During embryonic development, oriented cell divisions are important for patterned tissue growth and cell fate specification. Cell division orientation is controlled in part by asymmetrically localized polarity proteins, which establish functional domains of the cell membrane and interact with microtubule regulators to position the mitotic spindle. For example, in the 8-cell mouse embryo, apical polarity proteins form caps on the outside, contact-free surface of the embryo that position the mitotic spindle to execute asymmetric cell division. A similar radial or "inside-outside" polarity is established at an early stage in many other animal embryos, but in most cases, it remains unclear how inside-outside polarity is established and how it influences downstream cell behaviors. Here, we explore inside-outside polarity in C. elegans somatic blastomeres using spatiotemporally controlled protein degradation and live embryo imaging. We show that PAR polarity proteins, which form apical caps at the center of the contact-free membrane, localize dynamically during the cell cycle and contribute to spindle orientation and proper cell positioning. Surprisingly, isolated single blastomeres lacking cell contacts are able to break symmetry and form PAR-3/atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) caps. Polarity caps form independently of actomyosin flows and microtubules and can regulate spindle orientation in cooperation with the key polarity kinase aPKC. Together, our results reveal a role for apical polarity caps in regulating spindle orientation in symmetrically dividing cells and provide novel insights into how these structures are formed.

Cleavage furrow-directed cortical flows bias PAR polarization pathways to link cell polarity to cell division

During development, the conserved PAR polarity network is continuously redeployed, requiring that it adapt to changing cellular contexts and environmental cues. In the early C. elegans embryo, polarity shifts from being a cell-autonomous process in the zygote to one that must be coordinated between neighbors as the embryo becomes multicellular. Here, we sought to explore how the PAR network adapts to this shift in the highly tractable C. elegans germline P lineage. We find that although P lineage blastomeres exhibit a distinct pattern of polarity emergence compared with the zygote, the underlying mechanochemical processes that drive polarity are largely conserved. However, changes in the symmetry-breaking cues of P lineage blastomeres ensure coordination of their polarity axis with neighboring cells. Specifically, we show that furrow-directed cortical flows associated with cytokinesis of the zygote induce symmetry breaking in the germline blastomere P1 by transporting PAR-3 into the nascent cell contact. This pool of PAR-3 then biases downstream PAR polarization pathways to establish the polarity axis of P1 with respect to the position of its anterior sister, AB. Thus, our data suggest that cytokinesis itself induces symmetry breaking through the advection of polarity proteins by furrow-directed flows. By directly linking cell polarity to cell division, furrow-directed cortical flows could be a general mechanism to ensure proper organization of cell polarity within actively dividing systems.

Design principles for selective polarization of PAR proteins by cortical flows

Clustering of membrane-associated molecules is thought to promote interactions with the actomyosin cortex, enabling size-dependent transport by actin flows. Consistent with this model, in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, efficient anterior segregation of the polarity protein PAR-3 requires oligomerization. However, through direct assessment of local coupling between motion of PAR proteins and the underlying cortex, we find no links between PAR-3 oligomer size and the degree of coupling. Indeed, both anterior and posterior PAR proteins experience similar advection velocities, at least over short distances. Consequently, differential cortex engagement cannot account for selectivity of PAR protein segregation by cortical flows. Combining experiment and theory, we demonstrate that a key determinant of differential segregation of PAR proteins by cortical flow is the stability of membrane association, which is enhanced by clustering and enables transport across cellular length scales. Thus, modulation of membrane binding dynamics allows cells to achieve selective transport by cortical flows despite widespread coupling between membrane-associated molecules and the cell cortex.

Go with the flow - bulk transport by molecular motors

Cells are the smallest building blocks of all living eukaryotic organisms, usually ranging from a couple of micrometers (for example, platelets) to hundreds of micrometers (for example, neurons and oocytes) in size. In eukaryotic cells that are more than 100 µm in diameter, very often a self-organized large-scale movement of cytoplasmic contents, known as cytoplasmic streaming, occurs to compensate for the physical constraints of large cells. In this Review, we discuss cytoplasmic streaming in multiple cell types and the mechanisms driving this event. We particularly focus on the molecular motors responsible for cytoplasmic movements and the biological roles of cytoplasmic streaming in cells. Finally, we describe bulk intercellular flow that transports cytoplasmic materials to the oocyte from its sister germline cells to drive rapid oocyte growth.

Context matters: Lessons in epithelial polarity from the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and other tissues

Epithelia are tissues with diverse morphologies and functions across metazoans, ranging from vast cell sheets encasing internal organs to internal tubes facilitating nutrient uptake, all of which require establishment of apical-basolateral polarity axes. While all epithelia tend to polarize the same components, how these components are deployed to drive polarization is largely context-dependent and likely shaped by tissue-specific differences in development and ultimate functions of polarizing primordia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers exceptional imaging and genetic tools and possesses unique epithelia with well-described origins and roles, making it an excellent model to investigate polarity mechanisms. In this review, we highlight the interplay between epithelial polarization, development, and function by describing symmetry breaking and polarity establishment in a particularly well-characterized epithelium, the C. elegans intestine. We compare intestinal polarization to polarity programs in two other C. elegans epithelia, the pharynx and epidermis, correlating divergent mechanisms with tissue-specific differences in geometry, embryonic environment, and function. Together, we emphasize the importance of investigating polarization mechanisms against the backdrop of tissue-specific contexts, while also underscoring the benefits of cross-tissue comparisons of polarity.

Oligomerization of peripheral membrane proteins provides tunable control of cell surface polarity

Asymmetric distributions of peripheral membrane proteins define cell polarity across all kingdoms of life. Non-linear positive feedback on membrane binding is essential to amplify and stabilize these asymmetries, but how specific molecular sources of non-linearity shape polarization dynamics remains poorly understood. Here we show that the ability to oligomerize, which is common to many peripheral membrane proteins, can play a profound role in shaping polarization dynamics in simple feedback circuits. We show that size-dependent binding avidity and mobility of membrane-bound oligomers endow polarity circuits with several key properties. Size-dependent membrane binding avidity confers a form of positive feedback on the accumulation of oligomer subunits. Although insufficient by itself, this sharply reduces the amount of additional feedback required for spontaneous emergence and stable maintenance of polarized states. Size-dependent oligomer mobility makes symmetry breaking and stable polarity more robust with respect to variation in subunit diffusivities and cell sizes, and slows the approach to a final stable spatial distribution, allowing cells to "remember" polarity boundaries imposed by transient external cues. Together, these findings reveal how oligomerization of peripheral membrane proteins can provide powerful and highly tunable sources of non-linear feedback in biochemical circuits that govern cell surface polarity. Given its prevalence and widespread involvement in cell polarity, we speculate that self-oligomerization may have provided an accessible path to evolving simple polarity circuits.

Separable mechanisms drive local and global polarity establishment in the Caenorhabditiselegans intestinal epithelium

Apico-basolateral polarization is essential for epithelial cells to function as selective barriers and transporters, and to provide mechanical resilience to organs. Epithelial polarity is established locally, within individual cells to establish distinct apical, junctional and basolateral domains, and globally, within a tissue where cells coordinately orient their apico-basolateral axes. Using live imaging of endogenously tagged proteins and tissue-specific protein depletion in the Caenorhabditiselegans embryonic intestine, we found that local and global polarity establishment are temporally and genetically separable. Local polarity is initiated prior to global polarity and is robust to perturbation. PAR-3 is required for global polarization across the intestine but local polarity can arise in its absence, as small groups of cells eventually established polarized domains in PAR-3-depleted intestines in a HMR-1 (E-cadherin)-dependent manner. Despite the role of PAR-3 in localizing PKC-3 to the apical surface, we additionally found that PAR-3 and PKC-3/aPKC have distinct roles in the establishment and maintenance of local and global polarity. Taken together, our results indicate that different mechanisms are required for local and global polarity establishment in vivo.

PP1 phosphatases control PAR-2 localization and polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos

Cell polarity relies on the asymmetric distribution of the conserved PAR proteins, which is regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions. While the kinases involved have been well studied, the role of phosphatases remains poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans zygotes, phosphorylation of the posterior PAR-2 protein by the atypical protein kinase PKC-3 inhibits PAR-2 cortical localization. Polarity establishment depends on loading of PAR-2 at the posterior cortex. We show that the PP1 phosphatases GSP-1 and GSP-2 are required for polarity establishment in embryos. We find that codepletion of GSP-1 and GSP-2 abrogates the cortical localization of PAR-2 and that GSP-1 and GSP-2 interact with PAR-2 via a PP1 docking motif in PAR-2. Mutating this motif in vivo, to prevent binding of PAR-2 to PP1, abolishes cortical localization of PAR-2, while optimizing this motif extends PAR-2 cortical localization. Our data suggest a model in which GSP-1/-2 counteracts PKC-3 phosphorylation of PAR-2, allowing its cortical localization at the posterior and polarization of the one-cell embryo.

Balancing cell polarity PARts through dephosphorylation

How cells spatially organize their plasma membrane, cytoskeleton, and cytoplasm remains a central question for cell biologists. In this issue of JCB, Calvi et al. (2022. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202201048) identify PP1 phosphatases as key regulators of C. elegans anterior-posterior polarity, by counterbalancing aPKC-mediated phosphorylation of PAR-2.

A combined in silico and in vivo approach to the structure-function annotation of SPD-2 provides mechanistic insight into its functional diversity

Centrosomes are organelles that function as hubs of microtubule nucleation and organization, with key roles in organelle positioning, asymmetric cell division, ciliogenesis, and signaling. Aberrant centrosome number, structure or function is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, developmental abnormalities, ciliopathies, and tumor development. A major regulator of centrosome biogenesis and function in C. elegans is the conserved Spindle-defective protein 2 (SPD-2), a homolog of the human CEP-192 protein. CeSPD-2 is required for centrosome maturation, centriole duplication, spindle assembly and possibly cell polarity establishment. Despite its importance, the specific molecular mechanism of CeSPD-2 regulation and function is poorly understood. Here, we combined computational analysis with cell biology approaches to uncover possible structure-function relationships of CeSPD-2 that may shed mechanistic light on its function. Domain prediction analysis corroborated and refined previously identified coiled-coils and ASH (Aspm-SPD-2 Hydin) domains and identified new domains: a GEF domain, an Ig-like domain, and a PDZ-like domain. In addition to these predicted structural features, CeSPD-2 is also predicted to be intrinsically disordered. Surface electrostatic maps identified a large basic region unique to the ASH domain of CeSPD-2. This basic region overlaps with most of the residues predicted to be involved in protein-protein interactions. In vivo, ASH::GFP localized to centrosomes and centrosome-associated microtubules. Our analysis groups ASH domains, PapD, Usher chaperone domains, and Major Sperm Protein (MSP) domains into a single superfold within the larger Immunoglobulin superfamily. This study lays the groundwork for designing rational hypothesis-based experiments to uncover the mechanisms of CeSPD-2 function in vivo.Abbreviations: AIR, Aurora kinase; ASH, Aspm-SPD-2 Hydin; ASP, Abnormal Spindle Protein; ASPM, Abnormal Spindle-like Microcephaly-associated Protein; CC, coiled-coil; CDK, Cyclin-dependent Kinase; Ce, Caenorhabditis elegans; CEP, Centrosomal Protein; CPAP, centrosomal P4.1-associated protein; D, Drosophila; GAP, GTPase activating protein; GEF, GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor; Hs, Homo sapiens/Human; Ig, Immunoglobulin; MAP, Microtubule associated Protein; MSP, Major Sperm Protein; MDP, Major Sperm Domain-Containing Protein; OCRL-1, Golgi endocytic trafficking protein Inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase; PAR, abnormal embryonic PARtitioning of the cytosol; PCM, Pericentriolar material; PCMD, pericentriolar matrix deficient; PDZ, PSD95/Dlg-1/zo-1; PLK, Polo like kinase; RMSD, Root Mean Square Deviation; SAS, Spindle assembly abnormal proteins; SPD, Spindle-defective protein; TRAPP, TRAnsport Protein Particle; Xe, Xenopus; ZYG, zygote defective protein.

Single-molecule FISH in C. elegans embryos reveals early embryonic expression dynamics of par-2 , lgl-1 and chin-1 and possible differences between hyper-diverged strains

Wild C. elegans strains harbor natural variation in developmental pathways, but investigating these differences requires precise and well-powered phenotyping methods. Here we employ a microfluidics platform for single-molecule FISH to simultaneously visualize the transcripts of three genes in embryos of two distinct strains. We capture transcripts at high resolution by developmental stage in over one hundred embryos of each strain and observe wide-scale conservation of expression, but subtle differences in par-2 and chin-1 abundance and rate of change. As both genes reside in a genomic interval of hyper-divergence, these results may reflect consequences of pathway evolution over long timescales.

Anterior-posterior pattern formation in ciliates

As single cells, ciliates build, duplicate, and even regenerate complex cortical patterns by largely unknown mechanisms that precisely position organelles along two cell‐wide axes: anterior–posterior and circumferential (left–right). We review our current understanding of intracellular patterning along the anterior–posterior axis in ciliates, with emphasis on how the new pattern emerges during cell division. We focus on the recent progress at the molecular level that has been driven by the discovery of genes whose mutations cause organelle positioning defects in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. These investigations have revealed a network of highly conserved kinases that are confined to either anterior or posterior domains in the cell cortex. These pattern‐regulating kinases create zones of cortical inhibition that by exclusion determine the precise placement of organelles. We discuss observations and models derived from classical microsurgical experiments in large ciliates (including Stentor) and interpret them in light of recent molecular findings in Tetrahymena. In particular, we address the involvement of intracellular gradients as vehicles for positioning organelles along the anterior‐posterior axis.

Pole position: How plant cells polarize along the axes

Having a sense of direction is a fundamental cellular trait that can determine cell shape, division orientation, or function, and ultimately the formation of a functional, multicellular body. Cells acquire and integrate directional information by establishing discrete subcellular domains along an axis with distinct molecular profiles, a process known as cell polarization. Insight into the principles and mechanisms underlying cell polarity has been propelled by decades of extensive research mostly in yeast and animal models. Our understanding of cell polarity establishment in plants, which lack most of the regulatory molecules identified in other eukaryotes, is more limited, but significant progress has been made in recent years. In this review, we explore how plant cells coordinately establish stable polarity axes aligned with the organ axes, highlighting similarities in the molecular logic used to polarize both plant and animal cells. We propose a classification system for plant cell polarity events and nomenclature guidelines. Finally, we provide a deep phylogenetic analysis of polar proteins and discuss the evolution of polarity machineries in plants.

Aurora A and cortical flows promote polarization and cytokinesis by inducing asymmetric ECT-2 accumulation

In the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, cell polarization and cytokinesis are interrelated yet distinct processes. Here, we sought to understand a poorly understood aspect of cleavage furrow positioning. Early C. elegans embryos deficient in the cytokinetic regulator centralspindlin form furrows, due to an inhibitory activity that depends on aster positioning relative to the polar cortices. Here, we show polar relaxation is associated with depletion of cortical ECT-2, a RhoGEF, specifically at the posterior cortex. Asymmetric ECT-2 accumulation requires intact centrosomes, Aurora A (AIR-1), and myosin-dependent cortical flows. Within a localization competent ECT-2 fragment, we identified three putative phospho-acceptor sites in the PH domain of ECT-2 that render ECT-2 responsive to inhibition by AIR-1. During both polarization and cytokinesis, our results suggest that centrosomal AIR-1 breaks symmetry via ECT-2 phosphorylation; this local inhibition of ECT-2 is amplified by myosin-driven flows that generate regional ECT-2 asymmetry. Together, these mechanisms cooperate to induce polarized assembly of cortical myosin, contributing to both embryo polarization and cytokinesis.

Microtubule-dependent subcellular organisation of pluripotent cells

With the advancement of cutting-edge live imaging technologies, microtubule remodelling has evolved as an integral regulator for the establishment of distinct differentiated cells. However, despite their fundamental role in cell structure and function, microtubules have received less attention when unravelling the regulatory circuitry of pluripotency. Here, we summarise the role of microtubule organisation and microtubule-dependent events required for the formation of pluripotent cells in vivo by deciphering the process of early embryogenesis: from fertilisation to blastocyst. Furthermore, we highlight current advances in elucidating the significance of specific microtubule arrays in in vitro culture systems of pluripotent stem cells and how the microtubule cytoskeleton serves as a highway for the precise intracellular movement of organelles. This Review provides an informed understanding of the intrinsic role of subcellular architecture of pluripotent cells and accentuates their regenerative potential in combination with innovative light-inducible microtubule techniques.

A balance between antagonizing PAR proteins specifies the pattern of asymmetric and symmetric divisions in C. elegans embryogenesis

Coordination between cell differentiation and proliferation during development requires the balance between asymmetric and symmetric modes of cell division. However, the cellular intrinsic cue underlying the choice between these two division modes remains elusive. Here, we show evidence in Caenorhabditis elegans that the invariable lineage of the division modes is specified by the balance between antagonizing complexes of partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins. By uncoupling unequal inheritance of PAR proteins from that of fate determinants during cell division, we demonstrate that changes in the balance between PAR-2 and PAR-6 can be sufficient to re-program the division modes from symmetric to asymmetric and vice versa in two daughter cells. The division mode adopted occurs independently of asymmetry in cytoplasmic fate determinants, cell-size asymmetry, and cell-cycle asynchrony between sister cells. We propose that the balance between PAR proteins represents an intrinsic self-organizing cue for the specification of the two division modes during development.

Polarized endosome dynamics engage cytoplasmic Par-3 that recruits dynein during asymmetric cell division

In the developing embryos, the cortical polarity regulator Par-3 is critical for establishing Notch signaling asymmetry between daughter cells during asymmetric cell division (ACD). How cortically localized Par-3 establishes asymmetric Notch activity in the nucleus is not understood. Here, using in vivo time-lapse imaging of mitotic radial glia progenitors in the developing zebrafish forebrain, we uncover that during horizontal ACD along the anteroposterior embryonic axis, endosomes containing the Notch ligand DeltaD (Dld) move toward the cleavage plane and preferentially segregate into the posterior (subsequently basal) Notchhi daughter. This asymmetric segregation requires the activity of Par-3 and dynein motor complex. Using label retention expansion microscopy, we further detect Par-3 in the cytosol colocalizing the dynein light intermediate chain 1 (Dlic1) onto Dld endosomes. Par-3, Dlic1, and Dld are associated in protein complexes in vivo. Our data reveal an unanticipated mechanism by which cytoplasmic Par-3 directly polarizes Notch signaling components during ACD.

The Role of Cytoplasmic MEX-5/6 Polarity in Asymmetric Cell Division

In the process of asymmetric cell division, the mother cell induces polarity in both the membrane and the cytosol by distributing substrates and components asymmetrically. Such polarity formation results from the harmonization of the upstream and downstream polarities between the cell membrane and the cytosol. MEX-5/6 is a well-investigated downstream cytoplasmic protein, which is deeply involved in the membrane polarity of the upstream transmembrane protein PAR in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. In contrast to the extensive exploration of membrane PAR polarity, cytoplasmic polarity is poorly understood, and the precise contribution of cytoplasmic polarity to the membrane PAR polarity remains largely unknown. In this study, we explored the interplay between the cytoplasmic MEX-5/6 polarity and the membrane PAR polarity by developing a mathematical model that integrates the dynamics of PAR and MEX-5/6 and reflects the cell geometry. Our investigations show that the downstream cytoplasmic protein MEX-5/6 plays an indispensable role in causing a robust upstream PAR polarity, and the integrated understanding of their interplay, including the effect of the cell geometry, is essential for the study of polarity formation in asymmetric cell division.

The first steps in the life of a worm: Themes and variations in asymmetric division in C. elegans and other nematodes

Starting with Boveri in the 1870s, microscopic investigation of early embryogenesis in a broad swath of nematode species revealed the central role of asymmetric cell division in embryonic axis specification, blastomere positioning, and cell fate specification. Notably, across the class Chromadorea, a conserved theme emerges-asymmetry is first established in the zygote and specifies its asymmetric division, giving rise to an anterior somatic daughter cell and a posterior germline daughter cell. Beginning in the 1980s, the emergence of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism saw the advent of genetic tools that enabled rapid progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying asymmetric division, in many cases defining key paradigms that turn out to regulate asymmetric division in a wide range of systems. Yet, the consequence of this focus on C. elegans came at the expense of exploring the extant diversity of developmental variation exhibited across nematode species. Given the resurgent interest in evolutionary studies facilitated in part by new tools, here we revisit the diversity in this asymmetric first division, juxtaposing molecular insight into mechanisms of symmetry-breaking, spindle positioning and fate specification, with a consideration of plasticity and variability within and between species. In the process, we hope to highlight questions of evolutionary forces and molecular variation that may have shaped the extant diversity of developmental mechanisms observed across Nematoda.

PLK-1 Regulation of Asymmetric Cell Division in the Early C. elegans Embryo

PLK1 is a conserved mitotic kinase that is essential for the entry into and progression through mitosis. In addition to its canonical mitotic functions, recent studies have characterized a critical role for PLK-1 in regulating the polarization and asymmetric division of the one-cell C. elegans embryo. Prior to cell division, PLK-1 regulates both the polarization of the PAR proteins at the cell cortex and the segregation of cell fate determinants in the cytoplasm. Following cell division, PLK-1 is preferentially inherited to one daughter cell where it acts to regulate the timing of centrosome separation and cell division. PLK1 also regulates cell polarity in asymmetrically dividing Drosophila neuroblasts and during mammalian planar cell polarity, suggesting it may act broadly to connect cell polarity and cell cycle mechanisms.

Mechanochemical Control of Symmetry Breaking in the Caenorhabditis elegans Zygote

Cell polarity is the asymmetric organization of cellular components along defined axes. A key requirement for polarization is the ability of the cell to break symmetry and achieve a spatially biased organization. Despite different triggering cues in various systems, symmetry breaking (SB) usually relies on mechanochemical modulation of the actin cytoskeleton, which allows for advected movement and reorganization of cellular components. Here, the mechanisms underlying SB in Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, one of the most popular models to study cell polarity, are reviewed. A zygote initiates SB through the centrosome, which modulates mechanics of the cell cortex to establish advective flow of cortical proteins including the actin cytoskeleton and partitioning defective (PAR) proteins. The chemical signaling underlying centrosomal control of the Aurora A kinase–mediated cascade to convert the organization of the contractile actomyosin network from an apolar to polar state is also discussed.

Epidermal PAR-6 and PKC-3 are essential for larval development of C. elegans and organize non-centrosomal microtubules

The cortical polarity regulators PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3 are essential for the polarization of a broad variety of cell types in multicellular animals. In C. elegans, the roles of the PAR proteins in embryonic development have been extensively studied, yet little is known about their functions during larval development. Using inducible protein degradation, we show that PAR-6 and PKC-3, but not PAR-3, are essential for postembryonic development. PAR-6 and PKC-3 are required in the epidermal epithelium for animal growth, molting, and the proper pattern of seam-cell divisions. Finally, we uncovered a novel role for PAR-6 in organizing non-centrosomal microtubule arrays in the epidermis. PAR-6 was required for the localization of the microtubule organizer NOCA-1/Ninein, and defects in a noca-1 mutant are highly similar to those caused by epidermal PAR-6 depletion. As NOCA-1 physically interacts with PAR-6, we propose that PAR-6 promotes non-centrosomal microtubule organization through localization of NOCA-1/Ninein.

Going with the flow: insights from Caenorhabditis elegans zygote polarization

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular components along a defined axis. Polarity relies on complex signalling networks between conserved patterning proteins, including the PAR (partitioning defective) proteins, which become segregated in response to upstream symmetry breaking cues. Although the mechanisms that drive the asymmetric localization of these proteins are dependent upon cell type and context, in many cases the regulation of actomyosin cytoskeleton dynamics is central to the transport, recruitment and/or stabilization of these polarity effectors into defined subcellular domains. The transport or advection of PAR proteins by an actomyosin flow was first observed in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote more than a decade ago. Since then a multifaceted approach, using molecular methods, high-throughput screens, and biophysical and computational models, has revealed further aspects of this flow and how polarity regulators respond to and modulate it. Here, we review recent findings on the interplay between actomyosin flow and the PAR patterning networks in the polarization of the C. elegans zygote. We also discuss how these discoveries and developed methods are shaping our understanding of other flow-dependent polarizing systems. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Contemporary morphogenesis'.

Cellular self-organization: generating order from the abyss

While the organization of inanimate systems such as gases or liquids is predominantly thermodynamically driven—a mixture of two gases will tend to mix until they reach equilibrium—biological systems frequently exhibit organization that is far from a well-mixed equilibrium. The anisotropies displayed by cells are evident in some of the dynamic processes that constitute life including cell development, movement, and division. These anisotropies operate at different length-scales, from the meso- to the nanoscale, and are proposed to reflect self-organization, a characteristic of living systems that is becoming accessible to reconstitution from purified components, and thus a more thorough understanding. Here, some examples of self-organization underlying cellular anisotropies at the cellular level are reviewed, with an emphasis on Rho-family GTPases operating at the plasma membrane. Given the technical challenges of studying these dynamic proteins, some of the successful approaches that are being employed to study their self-organization will also be considered.

Biomimetic niches reveal the minimal cues to trigger apical lumen formation in single hepatocytes

The symmetry breaking of protein distribution and cytoskeleton organization is an essential aspect for the development of apicobasal polarity. In embryonic cells this process is largely cell autonomous, while differentiated epithelial cells collectively polarize during epithelium formation. Here, we demonstrate that the de novo polarization of mature hepatocytes does not require the synchronized development of apical poles on neighbouring cells. De novo polarization at the single-cell level by mere contact with the extracellular matrix and immobilized cadherin defining a polarizing axis. The creation of these single-cell liver hemi-canaliculi allows unprecedented imaging resolution and control and over the lumenogenesis process. We show that the density and localization of cadherins along the initial cell-cell contact act as key triggers of the reorganization from lateral to apical actin cortex. The minimal cues necessary to trigger the polarization of hepatocytes enable them to develop asymmetric lumens with ectopic epithelial cells originating from the kidney, breast or colon.

Size-Regulated Symmetry Breaking in Reaction-Diffusion Models of Developmental Transitions

The development of multicellular organisms proceeds through a series of morphogenetic and cell-state transitions, transforming homogeneous zygotes into complex adults by a process of self-organisation. Many of these transitions are achieved by spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanisms, allowing cells and tissues to acquire pattern and polarity by virtue of local interactions without an upstream supply of information. The combined work of theory and experiment has elucidated how these systems break symmetry during developmental transitions. Given that such transitions are multiple and their temporal ordering is crucial, an equally important question is how these developmental transitions are coordinated in time. Using a minimal mass-conserved substrate-depletion model for symmetry breaking as our case study, we elucidate mechanisms by which cells and tissues can couple reaction-diffusion-driven symmetry breaking to the timing of developmental transitions, arguing that the dependence of patterning mode on system size may be a generic principle by which developing organisms measure time. By analysing different regimes of our model, simulated on growing domains, we elaborate three distinct behaviours, allowing for clock-, timer- or switch-like dynamics. Relating these behaviours to experimentally documented case studies of developmental timing, we provide a minimal conceptual framework to interrogate how developing organisms coordinate developmental transitions.

Centrosome Aurora A gradient ensures single polarity axis in C. elegans embryos

Cellular asymmetries are vital for generating cell fate diversity during development and in stem cells. In the newly fertilized Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, centrosomes are responsible for polarity establishment, i.e. anterior-posterior body axis formation. The signal for polarity originates from the centrosomes and is transmitted to the cell cortex, where it disassembles the actomyosin network. This event leads to symmetry breaking and the establishment of distinct domains of evolutionarily conserved PAR proteins. However, the identity of an essential component that localizes to the centrosomes and promotes symmetry breaking was unknown. Recent work has uncovered that the loss of Aurora A kinase (AIR-1 in C. elegans and hereafter referred to as Aurora A) in the one-cell embryo disrupts stereotypical actomyosin-based cortical flows that occur at the time of polarity establishment. This misregulation of actomyosin flow dynamics results in the occurrence of two polarity axes. Notably, the role of Aurora A in ensuring a single polarity axis is independent of its well-established function in centrosome maturation. The mechanism by which Aurora A directs symmetry breaking is likely through direct regulation of Rho-dependent contractility. In this mini-review, we will discuss the unconventional role of Aurora A kinase in polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos and propose a refined model of centrosome-dependent symmetry breaking.

Molecular mechanisms of cell polarity in a range of model systems and in migrating neurons

Cell polarity is defined as the asymmetric distribution of cellular components along an axis. Most cells, from the simplest single-cell organisms to highly specialized mammalian cells, are polarized and use similar mechanisms to generate and maintain polarity. Cell polarity is important for cells to migrate, form tissues, and coordinate activities. During development of the mammalian cerebral cortex, cell polarity is essential for neurogenesis and for the migration of newborn but as-yet undifferentiated neurons. These oriented migrations include both the radial migration of excitatory projection neurons and the tangential migration of inhibitory interneurons. In this review, I will first describe the development of the cerebral cortex, as revealed at the cellular level. I will then define the core molecular mechanisms - the Par/Crb/Scrib polarity complexes, small GTPases, the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, and phosphoinositides/PI3K signaling - that are required for asymmetric cell division, apico-basal and front-rear polarity in model systems, including C elegans zygote, Drosophila embryos and cultured mammalian cells. As I go through each core mechanism I will explain what is known about its importance in radial and tangential migration in the developing mammalian cerebral cortex.

Distinct activities of Scrib module proteins organize epithelial polarity

A polarized architecture is central to both epithelial structure and function. In many cells, polarity involves mutual antagonism between the Par complex and the Scribble (Scrib) module. While molecular mechanisms underlying Par-mediated apical determination are well-understood, how Scrib module proteins specify the basolateral domain remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate dependent and independent activities of Scrib, Discs-large (Dlg), and Lethal giant larvae (Lgl) using the Drosophila follicle epithelium. Our data support a linear hierarchy for localization, but rule out previously proposed protein-protein interactions as essential for polarization. Cortical recruitment of Scrib does not require palmitoylation or polar phospholipid binding but instead an independent cortically stabilizing activity of Dlg. Scrib and Dlg do not directly antagonize atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), but may instead restrict aPKC localization by enabling the aPKC-inhibiting activity of Lgl. Importantly, while Scrib, Dlg, and Lgl are each required, all three together are not sufficient to antagonize the Par complex. Our data demonstrate previously unappreciated diversity of function within the Scrib module and begin to define the elusive molecular functions of Scrib and Dlg.

Mitochondria-Derived H2O2 Promotes Symmetry Breaking of the C. elegans Zygote

Symmetry breaking is an essential step in cell differentiation and early embryonic development. However, the molecular cues that trigger symmetry breaking remain largely unknown. Here, we show that mitochondrial H₂O₂ acts as a symmetry-breaking cue in the C. elegans zygote. We find that symmetry breaking is marked by a local H₂O₂ increase and coincides with a relocation of mitochondria to the cell cortex. Lowering endogenous H₂O₂ levels delays the onset of symmetry breaking, while artificially targeting mitochondria to the cellular cortex using a light-induced heterodimerization technique is sufficient to initiate symmetry breaking in a H₂O₂-dependent manner. In wild-type development, both sperm and maternal mitochondria contribute to symmetry breaking. Our findings reveal that mitochondrial H₂O₂-signaling promotes the onset of polarization, a fundamental process in development and cell differentiation, and this is achieved by both mitochondrial redistribution and differential H₂O₂-production.

Cell Polarity: Getting the PARty Started

Polarity establishment is a key developmental process, but what determines its timing is poorly understood. New research in Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrates that the PAR polarity system extensively reconfigures before becoming competent to polarize. By inhibiting membrane localization of anterior PAR proteins, AIR-1 (aurora A) and PLK-1 (polo kinase) prevent premature polarization.

The cytoskeletal motor proteins Dynein and MyoV direct apical transport of Crumbs

Crumbs (Crb in Drosophila; CRB1-3 in mammals) is a transmembrane determinant of epithelial cell polarity and a regulator of Hippo signalling. Crb is normally localized to apical cell-cell contacts, just above adherens junctions, but how apical trafficking of Crb is regulated in epithelial cells remains unclear. We use the Drosophila follicular epithelium to demonstrate that polarized trafficking of Crb is mediated by transport along microtubules by the motor protein Dynein and along actin filaments by the motor protein Myosin-V (MyoV). Blocking transport of Crb-containing vesicles by Dynein or MyoV leads to accumulation of Crb within Rab11 endosomes, rather than apical delivery. The final steps of Crb delivery and stabilisation at the plasma membrane requires the exocyst complex and three apical FERM domain proteins - Merlin, Moesin and Expanded - whose simultaneous loss disrupts apical localization of Crb. Accordingly, a knock-in deletion of the Crb FERM-binding motif (FBM) also impairs apical localization. Finally, overexpression of Crb challenges this system, creating a sensitized background to identify components involved in cytoskeletal polarization, apical membrane trafficking and stabilisation of Crb at the apical domain.

Asymmetric cell division from a cell to cells: Shape, length, and location of polarity domain

Asymmetric cell division is one of the most elegant biological systems by which cells create daughter cells with different functions and increase cell diversity. In particular, PAR polarity in the cell membrane plays a critical role in regulating the whole process of asymmetric cell division. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the underlying mechanism of PAR polarity formation using both experimental and theoretical approaches in the last 10 years. However, they have mostly focused on answering the fundamental question of how this exclusive polarity is established but the precise dynamics of polarity domain have been little notified. In this review, I focused on studies on the shape, length, and location of PAR polarity from a theoretical perspective that may be important for an integrated understanding of the entire process of asymmetric cell division.

Geometric cues stabilise long-axis polarisation of PAR protein patterns in C. elegans

In the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, PAR protein patterns, driven by mutual anatagonism, determine the anterior-posterior axis and facilitate the redistribution of proteins for the first cell division. Yet, the factors that determine the selection of the polarity axis remain unclear. We present a reaction-diffusion model in realistic cell geometry, based on biomolecular reactions and accounting for the coupling between membrane and cytosolic dynamics. We find that the kinetics of the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle of PARs and the diffusive protein fluxes from the cytosol towards the membrane are crucial for the robust selection of the anterior-posterior axis for polarisation. The local ratio of membrane surface to cytosolic volume is the main geometric cue that initiates pattern formation, while the choice of the long-axis for polarisation is largely determined by the length of the aPAR-pPAR interface, and mediated by processes that minimise the diffusive fluxes of PAR proteins between cytosol and membrane.

Building an apical domain in the early mouse embryo: Lessons, challenges and perspectives

Cell polarization is critical for lineage segregation and morphogenesis during mammalian embryogenesis. However, the processes and mechanisms that establish cell polarity in the mammalian embryo are not well understood. Recent studies suggest that unique regulatory mechanisms are deployed by the mouse embryo to establish cell polarization. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of cell polarity establishment, focusing on the formation of the apical domain in the mouse embryo. We will also discuss outstanding questions and possible directions for future study.

Intracellular morphogens: Specifying patterns at the subcellular scale

The notion that graded distributions of signals underlie the spatial organization of biological systems has long been a central pillar in the fields of cell and developmental biology. During morphogenesis, morphogens spread across tissues to guide development of the embryo. Similarly, a variety of dynamic gradients and pattern-forming networks have been discovered that shape subcellular organization. Here we discuss the principles of intracellular pattern formation by these intracellular morphogens and relate them to conceptually similar processes operating at the tissue scale. We will specifically review mechanisms for generating cellular asymmetry and consider how intracellular patterning networks are controlled and adapt to cellular geometry. Finally, we assess the general concept of intracellular gradients as a mechanism for positional control in light of current data, highlighting how the simple readout of fixed concentration thresholds fails to fully capture the complexity of spatial patterning processes occurring inside cells.