1
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Boutillon A, Banavar SP, Campàs O. Conserved physical mechanisms of cell and tissue elongation. Development 2024; 151:dev202687. [PMID: 38767601 PMCID: PMC11190436 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Living organisms have the ability to self-shape into complex structures appropriate for their function. The genetic and molecular mechanisms that enable cells to do this have been extensively studied in several model and non-model organisms. In contrast, the physical mechanisms that shape cells and tissues have only recently started to emerge, in part thanks to new quantitative in vivo measurements of the physical quantities guiding morphogenesis. These data, combined with indirect inferences of physical characteristics, are starting to reveal similarities in the physical mechanisms underlying morphogenesis across different organisms. Here, we review how physics contributes to shape cells and tissues in a simple, yet ubiquitous, morphogenetic transformation: elongation. Drawing from observed similarities across species, we propose the existence of conserved physical mechanisms of morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Boutillon
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Samhita P. Banavar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Otger Campàs
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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2
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Klepstad J, Marcon L. The Clock and Wavefront Self-Organizing model recreates the dynamics of mouse somitogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Development 2024; 151:dev202606. [PMID: 38742434 PMCID: PMC11165719 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
During mouse development, presomitic mesoderm cells synchronize Wnt and Notch oscillations, creating sequential phase waves that pattern somites. Traditional somitogenesis models attribute phase waves to a global modulation of the oscillation frequency. However, increasing evidence suggests that they could arise in a self-organizing manner. Here, we introduce the Sevilletor, a novel reaction-diffusion system that serves as a framework to compare different somitogenesis patterning hypotheses. Using this framework, we propose the Clock and Wavefront Self-Organizing model that considers an excitable self-organizing region where phase waves form independent of global frequency gradients. The model recapitulates the change in relative phase of Wnt and Notch observed during mouse somitogenesis and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the excitability of mouse presomitic mesoderm cells in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Klepstad
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD) CSIC-UPO-JA, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Luciano Marcon
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD) CSIC-UPO-JA, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain
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3
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Feng X, Ye Y, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhao S, Mak JCW, Otomo N, Zhao Z, Niu Y, Yonezawa Y, Li G, Lin M, Li X, Cheung PWH, Xu K, Takeda K, Wang S, Xie J, Kotani T, Choi VNT, Song YQ, Yang Y, Luk KDK, Lee KS, Li Z, Li PS, Leung CYH, Lin X, Wang X, Qiu G, Watanabe K, Wu Z, Posey JE, Ikegawa S, Lupski JR, Cheung JPY, Zhang TJ, Gao B, Wu N. Core planar cell polarity genes VANGL1 and VANGL2 in predisposition to congenital vertebral malformations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2310283121. [PMID: 38669183 PMCID: PMC11067467 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310283121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Congenital scoliosis (CS), affecting approximately 0.5 to 1 in 1,000 live births, is commonly caused by congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) arising from aberrant somitogenesis or somite differentiation. While Wnt/ß-catenin signaling has been implicated in somite development, the function of Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) signaling in this process remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of Vangl1 and Vangl2 in vertebral development and found that their deletion causes vertebral anomalies resembling human CVMs. Analysis of exome sequencing data from multiethnic CS patients revealed a number of rare and deleterious variants in VANGL1 and VANGL2, many of which exhibited loss-of-function and dominant-negative effects. Zebrafish models confirmed the pathogenicity of these variants. Furthermore, we found that Vangl1 knock-in (p.R258H) mice exhibited vertebral malformations in a Vangl gene dose- and environment-dependent manner. Our findings highlight critical roles for PCP signaling in vertebral development and predisposition to CVMs in CS patients, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Key laboratory of big data for spinal deformities, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Yongyu Ye
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou510080, China
| | - Jianan Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Yuanqiang Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan250012, China
| | - Sen Zhao
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Judith C. W. Mak
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Nao Otomo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
- Laboratory of Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo108-8639, Japan
| | - Zhengye Zhao
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Yuchen Niu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
- Department of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
| | - Yoshiro Yonezawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
- Laboratory of Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo108-8639, Japan
| | - Guozhuang Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Mao Lin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310003, China
| | - Xiaoxin Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
- Department of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
| | - Prudence Wing Hang Cheung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kexin Xu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Kazuki Takeda
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
- Laboratory of Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo108-8639, Japan
| | - Shengru Wang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
| | - Junjie Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Toshiaki Kotani
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Vanessa N. T. Choi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - You-Qiang Song
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen518009, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Keith Dip Kei Luk
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kin Shing Lee
- Center for Comparative Medicine Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ziquan Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Pik Shan Li
- Center for Comparative Medicine Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Connie Y. H. Leung
- Center for Comparative Medicine Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xiaochen Lin
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xiaolu Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Guixing Qiu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | | | - Kota Watanabe
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | | | - Zhihong Wu
- Department of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
| | - Jennifer E. Posey
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston77030, TX
| | - Shiro Ikegawa
- Laboratory of Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tokyo108-8639, Japan
| | - James R. Lupski
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston77030, TX
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston77030, TX
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston77030, TX
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston77030, TX
| | - Jason Pui Yin Cheung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen518009, China
| | - Terry Jianguo Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Key laboratory of big data for spinal deformities, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
| | - Bo Gao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen518009, China
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, all at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Key laboratory of big data for spinal deformities, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing100730, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing100730, China
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4
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Martins-Costa C, Wilson V, Binagui-Casas A. Neuromesodermal specification during head-to-tail body axis formation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 159:232-271. [PMID: 38729677 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The anterior-to-posterior (head-to-tail) body axis is extraordinarily diverse among vertebrates but conserved within species. Body axis development requires a population of axial progenitors that resides at the posterior of the embryo to sustain elongation and is then eliminated once axis extension is complete. These progenitors occupy distinct domains in the posterior (tail-end) of the embryo and contribute to various lineages along the body axis. The subset of axial progenitors with neuromesodermal competency will generate both the neural tube (the precursor of the spinal cord), and the trunk and tail somites (producing the musculoskeleton) during embryo development. These axial progenitors are called Neuromesodermal Competent cells (NMCs) and Neuromesodermal Progenitors (NMPs). NMCs/NMPs have recently attracted interest beyond the field of developmental biology due to their clinical potential. In the mouse, the maintenance of neuromesodermal competency relies on a fine balance between a trio of known signals: Wnt/β-catenin, FGF signalling activity and suppression of retinoic acid signalling. These signals regulate the relative expression levels of the mesodermal transcription factor Brachyury and the neural transcription factor Sox2, permitting the maintenance of progenitor identity when co-expressed, and either mesoderm or neural lineage commitment when the balance is tilted towards either Brachyury or Sox2, respectively. Despite important advances in understanding key genes and cellular behaviours involved in these fate decisions, how the balance between mesodermal and neural fates is achieved remains largely unknown. In this chapter, we provide an overview of signalling and gene regulatory networks in NMCs/NMPs. We discuss mutant phenotypes associated with axial defects, hinting at the potential significant role of lesser studied proteins in the maintenance and differentiation of the progenitors that fuel axial elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Martins-Costa
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - V Wilson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - A Binagui-Casas
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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5
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Saito S, Kanazawa U, Tatsumi A, Iida A, Takemoto T, Suzuki T. Functional analysis of a first hindlimb positioning enhancer via Gdf11 expression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1302141. [PMID: 38559809 PMCID: PMC10978735 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1302141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
During the early development of tetrapods, including humans, the embryonic body elongates caudally once the anterior-posterior axis is established. During this process, region-specific vertebral morphogenesis occurs, with the determination of limb positioning along the anterior-posterior axis. We previously reported that Gdf11 functions as an anatomical integration system that determines the positioning of hindlimbs and sacral vertebrae where Gdf11 is expressed. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying induction of Gdf11 expression remain unclear. In this study, we searched for non-coding regions near the Gdf11 locus that were conserved across species to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of Gdf11 expression. We identified an enhancer of the Gdf11 gene in intron 1 and named it highly conserved region (HCR). In HCR knockout mice, the expression level of endogenous Gdf11 was decreased, and the position of the sacral-hindlimb unit was shifted posteriorly. We also searched for factors upstream of Gdf11 based on the predicted transcription factor binding sites within the HCR. We found that inhibition of FGF signaling increased endogenous Gdf11 expression, suggesting that FGF signaling negatively regulates Gdf11 expression. However, FGF signaling does not regulate HCR activity. Our results suggest that there are species-specific Gdf11 enhancers other than HCR and that FGF signaling regulates Gdf11 expression independent of HCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Saito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Utsugi Kanazawa
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ayana Tatsumi
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Atsuo Iida
- Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Takemoto
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takayuki Suzuki
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
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6
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Miao Y, Pourquié O. Cellular and molecular control of vertebrate somitogenesis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00709-z. [PMID: 38418851 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00709-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Segmentation is a fundamental feature of the vertebrate body plan. This metameric organization is first implemented by somitogenesis in the early embryo, when paired epithelial blocks called somites are rhythmically formed to flank the neural tube. Recent advances in in vitro models have offered new opportunities to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie somitogenesis. Notably, models derived from human pluripotent stem cells introduced an efficient proxy for studying this process during human development. In this Review, we summarize the current understanding of somitogenesis gained from both in vivo studies and in vitro studies. We deconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of somitogenesis into four distinct modules: dynamic events in the presomitic mesoderm, segmental determination, somite anteroposterior polarity patterning, and epithelial morphogenesis. We first focus on the segmentation clock, as well as signalling and metabolic gradients along the tissue, before discussing the clock and wavefront and other models that account for segmental determination. We then detail the molecular and cellular mechanisms of anteroposterior polarity patterning and somite epithelialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchuan Miao
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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7
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Ramesh PS, Chu LF. Species-specific roles of the Notch ligands, receptors, and targets orchestrating the signaling landscape of the segmentation clock. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1327227. [PMID: 38348091 PMCID: PMC10859470 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1327227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Somitogenesis is a hallmark feature of all vertebrates and some invertebrate species that involves the periodic formation of block-like structures called somites. Somites are transient embryonic segments that eventually establish the entire vertebral column. A highly conserved molecular oscillator called the segmentation clock underlies this periodic event and the pace of this clock regulates the pace of somite formation. Although conserved signaling pathways govern the clock in most vertebrates, the mechanisms underlying the species-specific divergence in various clock characteristics remain elusive. For example, the segmentation clock in classical model species such as zebrafish, chick, and mouse embryos tick with a periodicity of ∼30, ∼90, and ∼120 min respectively. This enables them to form the species-specific number of vertebrae during their overall timespan of somitogenesis. Here, we perform a systematic review of the species-specific features of the segmentation clock with a keen focus on mouse embryos. We perform this review using three different perspectives: Notch-responsive clock genes, ligand-receptor dynamics, and synchronization between neighboring oscillators. We further review reports that use non-classical model organisms and in vitro model systems that complement our current understanding of the segmentation clock. Our review highlights the importance of comparative developmental biology to further our understanding of this essential developmental process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav S. Ramesh
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Reproductive Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Li-Fang Chu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Reproductive Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
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8
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McDaniel C, Simsek MF, Chandel AS, Özbudak EM. Spatiotemporal control of pattern formation during somitogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk8937. [PMID: 38277458 PMCID: PMC10816718 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk8937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal patterns widely occur in biological, chemical, and physical systems. Particularly, embryonic development displays a diverse gamut of repetitive patterns established in many tissues and organs. Branching treelike structures in lungs, kidneys, livers, pancreases, and mammary glands as well as digits and bones in appendages, teeth, and palates are just a few examples. A fascinating instance of repetitive patterning is the sequential segmentation of the primary body axis, which is conserved in all vertebrates and many arthropods and annelids. In these species, the body axis elongates at the posterior end of the embryo containing an unsegmented tissue. Meanwhile, segments sequentially bud off from the anterior end of the unsegmented tissue, laying down an exquisite repetitive pattern and creating a segmented body plan. In vertebrates, the paraxial mesoderm is sequentially divided into somites. In this review, we will discuss the most prominent models, the most puzzling experimental data, and outstanding questions in vertebrate somite segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra McDaniel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - M. Fethullah Simsek
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Angad Singh Chandel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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9
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Lozovska A, Korovesi AG, Duarte P, Casaca A, Assunção T, Mallo M. The control of transitions along the main body axis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 159:272-308. [PMID: 38729678 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Although vertebrates display a large variety of forms and sizes, the mechanisms controlling the layout of the basic body plan are substantially conserved throughout the clade. Following gastrulation, head, trunk, and tail are sequentially generated through the continuous addition of tissue at the caudal embryonic end. Development of each of these major embryonic regions is regulated by a distinct genetic network. The transitions from head-to-trunk and from trunk-to-tail development thus involve major changes in regulatory mechanisms, requiring proper coordination to guarantee smooth progression of embryonic development. In this review, we will discuss the key cellular and embryological events associated with those transitions giving particular attention to their regulation, aiming to provide a cohesive outlook of this important component of vertebrate development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patricia Duarte
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Casaca
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tereza Assunção
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Moises Mallo
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, Oeiras, Portugal.
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10
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Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. Development 2023; 150:dev202010. [PMID: 37840469 PMCID: PMC10690059 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Although mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied during vertebrate morphogenesis. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulate avian hindgut morphogenesis in a coordinated manner. Posterior endoderm cells convert a gradient of FGF ligands into a contractile force gradient, leading to a force imbalance that drives collective cell movements that elongate the forming hindgut tube. We formulated a 2D reaction-diffusion-advection model describing the formation of an FGF protein gradient as a result of posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion and degradation of FGF protein. The endoderm was modeled as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. With parameter values constrained by experimental data, the model replicates key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, suggests that graded isotropic contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with axis elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Oikonomou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Nandan L. Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
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11
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Li X, Xie R, Luo Y, Shi R, Ling Y, Zhao X, Xu X, Chu W, Wang X. Cooperation of TGF-β and FGF signalling pathways in skin development. Cell Prolif 2023; 56:e13489. [PMID: 37150846 PMCID: PMC10623945 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The skin is a multi-layered structure composed of the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The epidermis originates entirely from the ectoderm, whereas the dermis originates from various germ layers depending on its anatomical location; thus, there are different developmental patterns of the skin. Although the regulatory mechanisms of epidermal formation are well understood, mechanisms regulating dermis development are not clear owing to the complex origin. It has been shown that several morphogenetic pathways regulate dermis development. Of these, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling pathways are the main modulators regulating skin cell induction, fate decision, migration and differentiation. Recently, the successful generation of human skin by modulating TGF-β and FGF signals further demonstrated the irreplaceable roles of these pathways in skin regeneration. This review provides evidence of the role of TGF-β and FGF signalling pathways in the development of different skin layers, especially the disparate dermis of different body regions. This review also provides new perspectives on the distinct developmental patterns of skin and explores new ideas for clinical applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Rongfang Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Yilin Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Runlu Shi
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering (iBHE), Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Yuanqiang Ling
- Guangzhou Wishing Tree Hair Medical Technology Limited CompanyGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaojing Zhao
- Guangzhou Wishing Tree Hair Medical Technology Limited CompanyGuangzhouChina
| | - Xuejuan Xu
- Department of EndocrinologyThe First People's Hospital of FoshanFoshanChina
| | - Weiwei Chu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Xusheng Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)Sun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
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12
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Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541363. [PMID: 37292966 PMCID: PMC10245718 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied in many contexts during vertebrate morphogenesis. A posterior gradient of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) ligands generates a contractile force gradient in the definitive endoderm, driving collective cell movements to form the hindgut. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of FGF coordinately regulate this process. We began by formulating a 2-D reaction-diffusion-advection model that describes the formation of an FGF protein gradient due to posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion, and degradation of FGF protein. This was used together with experimental measurements of FGF activity in the chick endoderm to inform a continuum model of definitive endoderm as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. The model replicated key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, confirms that heterogeneous - but isotropic - contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with outgrowth of the tailbud.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
| | - Nandan L. Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
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13
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Warren J, Kumar JP. Patterning of the Drosophila retina by the morphogenetic furrow. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1151348. [PMID: 37091979 PMCID: PMC10117938 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1151348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Pattern formation is the process by which cells within a homogeneous epithelial sheet acquire distinctive fates depending upon their relative spatial position to each other. Several proposals, starting with Alan Turing's diffusion-reaction model, have been put forth over the last 70 years to describe how periodic patterns like those of vertebrate somites and skin hairs, mammalian molars, fish scales, and avian feather buds emerge during development. One of the best experimental systems for testing said models and identifying the gene regulatory networks that control pattern formation is the compound eye of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Its cellular morphogenesis has been extensively studied for more than a century and hundreds of mutants that affect its development have been isolated. In this review we will focus on the morphogenetic furrow, a wave of differentiation that takes an initially homogeneous sheet of cells and converts it into an ordered array of unit eyes or ommatidia. Since the discovery of the furrow in 1976, positive and negative acting morphogens have been thought to be solely responsible for propagating the movement of the furrow across a motionless field of cells. However, a recent study has challenged this model and instead proposed that mechanical driven cell flow also contributes to retinal pattern formation. We will discuss both models and their impact on patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Justin P. Kumar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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14
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Anderson MJ, Misaghian S, Sharma N, Perantoni AO, Lewandoski M. Fgf8 promotes survival of nephron progenitors by regulating BAX/BAK-mediated apoptosis. Differentiation 2023; 130:7-15. [PMID: 36527791 PMCID: PMC10718080 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) have long been implicated in processes critical to embryonic development, such as cell survival, migration, and differentiation. Several mouse models of organ development ascribe a prosurvival requirement specifically to FGF8. Here, we explore the potential role of prosurvival FGF8 signaling in kidney development. We have previously demonstrated that conditional deletion of Fgf8 in the mesodermal progenitors that give rise to the kidney leads to renal aplasia in the mutant neonate. Deleterious consequences caused by loss of FGF8 begin to manifest by E14.5 when massive aberrant cell death occurs in the cortical nephrogenic zone in the rudimentary kidney as well as in the renal vesicles that give rise to the nephrons. To rescue cell death in the Fgf8 mutant kidney, we inactivate the genes encoding the pro-apoptotic factors BAK and BAX. In a wild-type background, the loss of Bak and Bax abrogates normal cell death and has minimal effect on renal development. However, in Fgf8 mutants, the combined loss of Bak and Bax rescues aberrant cell death in the kidneys and restores some measure of kidney development: 1) the nephron progenitor population is greatly increased; 2) some glomeruli form, which are rarely observed in Fgf8 mutants; and 3) kidney size is rescued by about 50% at E18.5. The development of functional nephrons, however, is not rescued. Thus, FGF8 signaling is required for nephron progenitor survival by regulating BAK/BAX and for subsequent steps involving, as yet, undefined roles in kidney development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Anderson
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Salvia Misaghian
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Nirmala Sharma
- Renal Differentiation and Neoplasia Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Alan O Perantoni
- Renal Differentiation and Neoplasia Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Mark Lewandoski
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
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15
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Yaman YI, Ramanathan S. Controlling human organoid symmetry breaking reveals signaling gradients drive segmentation clock waves. Cell 2023; 186:513-527.e19. [PMID: 36657441 PMCID: PMC10025047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Axial development of mammals involves coordinated morphogenetic events, including axial elongation, somitogenesis, and neural tube formation. To gain insight into the signals controlling the dynamics of human axial morphogenesis, we generated axially elongating organoids by inducing anteroposterior symmetry breaking of spatially coupled epithelial cysts derived from human pluripotent stem cells. Each organoid was composed of a neural tube flanked by presomitic mesoderm sequentially segmented into somites. Periodic activation of the somite differentiation gene MESP2 coincided in space and time with anteriorly traveling segmentation clock waves in the presomitic mesoderm of the organoids, recapitulating critical aspects of somitogenesis. Timed perturbations demonstrated that FGF and WNT signaling play distinct roles in axial elongation and somitogenesis, and that FGF signaling gradients drive segmentation clock waves. By generating and perturbing organoids that robustly recapitulate the architecture of multiple axial tissues in human embryos, this work offers a means to dissect mechanisms underlying human embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Ilker Yaman
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Sharad Ramanathan
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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16
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Amel A, Rossouw S, Goolam M. Gastruloids: A Novel System for Disease Modelling and Drug Testing. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:104-113. [PMID: 36308705 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
By virtue of its inaccessible nature, mammalian implantation stage development has remained one of the most enigmatic and hard to investigate periods of embryogenesis. Derived from pluripotent stem cells, gastruloids recapitulate key aspects of gastrula-stage embryos and have emerged as a powerful in vitro tool to study the architectural features of early post-implantation embryos. While the majority of the work in this emerging field has focused on the use of gastruloids to model embryogenesis, their tractable nature and suitability for high-throughput scaling, has presented an unprecedented opportunity to investigate both developmental and environmental aberrations to the embryo as they occur in vitro. This review summarises the recent developments in the use of gastruloids to model congenital anomalies, their usage in teratogenicity testing, and the current limitations of this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atoosa Amel
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Simoné Rossouw
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mubeen Goolam
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa. .,UCT Neuroscience Institute, Cape Town, South Africa.
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17
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Schnirman RE, Kuo SJ, Kelly RC, Yamaguchi TP. The role of Wnt signaling in the development of the epiblast and axial progenitors. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 153:145-180. [PMID: 36967193 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how the body plan is established during embryogenesis remains a fundamental biological question. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial and highly conserved role in body plan formation, functioning to polarize the primary anterior-posterior (AP) or head-to-tail body axis in most metazoans. In this chapter, we focus on the roles that the mammalian Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays to prepare the pluripotent epiblast for gastrulation, and to elicit the emergence of multipotent axial progenitors from the caudal epiblast. Interactions between Wnt and retinoic acid (RA), another powerful family of developmental signaling molecules, in axial progenitors will also be discussed. Gastrulation movements and somitogenesis result in the anterior displacement of the RA source (the rostral somites and lateral plate mesoderm (LPM)), from the posterior Wnt source (the primitive streak (PS)), leading to the establishment of antiparallel gradients of RA and Wnt that control the self-renewal and successive differentiation of neck, trunk and tail progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samuel J Kuo
- NCI-Frederick, NIH, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Ryan C Kelly
- NCI-Frederick, NIH, Frederick, MD, United States
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18
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Ornitz DM, Itoh N. New developments in the biology of fibroblast growth factors. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1549. [PMID: 35142107 PMCID: PMC10115509 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family is composed of 18 secreted signaling proteins consisting of canonical FGFs and endocrine FGFs that activate four receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs 1-4) and four intracellular proteins (intracellular FGFs or iFGFs) that primarily function to regulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium channels and other molecules. The canonical FGFs, endocrine FGFs, and iFGFs have been reviewed extensively by us and others. In this review, we briefly summarize past reviews and then focus on new developments in the FGF field since our last review in 2015. Some of the highlights in the past 6 years include the use of optogenetic tools, viral vectors, and inducible transgenes to experimentally modulate FGF signaling, the clinical use of small molecule FGFR inhibitors, an expanded understanding of endocrine FGF signaling, functions for FGF signaling in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, roles for FGF signaling in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, a continuing elaboration of mechanisms of FGF signaling in development, and an expanding appreciation of roles for FGF signaling in neuropsychiatric diseases. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Cancer > Stem Cells and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Itoh
- Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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19
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Meister L, Escriva H, Bertrand S. Functions of the FGF signalling pathway in cephalochordates provide insight into the evolution of the prechordal plate. Development 2022; 149:275365. [PMID: 35575387 PMCID: PMC9188755 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling pathway plays various roles during vertebrate embryogenesis, from mesoderm formation to brain patterning. This diversity of functions relies on the fact that vertebrates possess the largest FGF gene complement among metazoans. In the cephalochordate amphioxus, which belongs to the chordate clade together with vertebrates and tunicates, we have previously shown that the main role of FGF during early development is the control of rostral somite formation. Inhibition of this signalling pathway induces the loss of these structures, resulting in an embryo without anterior segmented mesoderm, as in the vertebrate head. Here, by combining several approaches, we show that the anterior presumptive paraxial mesoderm cells acquire an anterior axial fate when FGF signal is inhibited and that they are later incorporated in the anterior notochord. Our analysis of notochord formation in wild type and in embryos in which FGF signalling is inhibited also reveals that amphioxus anterior notochord presents transient prechordal plate features. Altogether, our results give insight into how changes in FGF functions during chordate evolution might have participated to the emergence of the complex vertebrate head. Summary: FGF signalling inhibition in cephalochordates induces a loss of anteriormost somites. After FGFR inhibition, the presomitic anterior region cells are incorporated in the anterior notochord which transiently present prechordal plate features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydvina Meister
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, BIOM, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Hector Escriva
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, BIOM, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Stéphanie Bertrand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, BIOM, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
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20
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Sanaki-Matsumiya M, Matsuda M, Gritti N, Nakaki F, Sharpe J, Trivedi V, Ebisuya M. Periodic formation of epithelial somites from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2325. [PMID: 35484123 PMCID: PMC9050736 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29967-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development, epithelial cell blocks called somites are periodically formed according to the segmentation clock, becoming the foundation for the segmental pattern of the vertebral column. The process of somitogenesis has recently been recapitulated with murine and human pluripotent stem cells. However, an in vitro model for human somitogenesis coupled with the segmentation clock and epithelialization is still missing. Here, we report the generation of human somitoids, organoids that periodically form pairs of epithelial somite-like structures. Somitoids display clear oscillations of the segmentation clock that coincide with the segmentation of the presomitic mesoderm. The resulting somites show anterior-posterior and apical-basal polarities. Matrigel is essential for epithelialization but dispensable for the differentiation into somite cells. The size of somites is rather constant, irrespective of the initial cell number. The amount of WNT signaling instructs the proportion of mesodermal lineages in somitoids. Somitoids provide a novel platform to study human somitogenesis. Somitogenesis has been well characterized in model organisms, resulting in detailed description of the somite segmentation clock. Here they generate somitogenic organoids from human pluripotent stem cells that recapitulate somitogenesis, periodic segmentation, and proper polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mitsuhiro Matsuda
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nicola Gritti
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fumio Nakaki
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - James Sharpe
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,EMBL Heidelberg, Developmental Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Miki Ebisuya
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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de Lemos L, Dias A, Nóvoa A, Mallo M. Epha1 is a cell-surface marker for the neuromesodermal competent population. Development 2022; 149:274735. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.198812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The vertebrate body is built during embryonic development by the sequential addition of new tissue as the embryo grows at its caudal end. During this process, progenitor cells within the neuromesodermal competent (NMC) region generate the postcranial neural tube and paraxial mesoderm. Here, we have applied a genetic strategy to recover the NMC cell population from mouse embryonic tissues and have searched their transcriptome for cell-surface markers that would give access to these cells without previous genetic modifications. We found that Epha1 expression is restricted to the axial progenitor-containing areas of the mouse embryo. Epha1-positive cells isolated from the mouse tailbud generate neural and mesodermal derivatives when cultured in vitro. This observation, together with their enrichment in the Sox2+/Tbxt+ molecular phenotype, indicates a direct association between Epha1 and the NMC population. Additional analyses suggest that tailbud cells expressing low Epha1 levels might also contain notochord progenitors, and that high Epha1 expression might be associated with progenitors entering paraxial mesoderm differentiation. Epha1 could thus be a valuable cell-surface marker for labeling and recovering physiologically active axial progenitors from embryonic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa de Lemos
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - André Dias
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Nóvoa
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Moisés Mallo
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
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22
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黄 宏, 魏 洁, 张 德, 周 学. [Research Progress of Fibroblast Growth Factor 8's Role in the Regulation of Bone Development and Homeostasis]. SICHUAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF SICHUAN UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDITION 2022; 53:54-57. [PMID: 35048600 PMCID: PMC10408843 DOI: 10.12182/20220160509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The proper development and the homeostasis maintenance of bones are important prerequisites for the normal functioning of the human body. Bone developmental deformities or homeostasis disorders, such as Kashin-Beck disease, craniosynostosis, cleft palate and osteoarthritis, severely affect the life of patients, causing significant stress to the family and the society. Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) plays multiple functions through the course of the life of organisms. Abnormal expression of FGF8 may cause disorders of bone homeostasis and developmental abnormalities of bones. More and more studies have found that FGF8 may play an important role in bone development and may become a potential therapeutic target. Herein, we reviewed the role of FGF8 in a variety of skeletal abnormalities, intending to provide new perspectives for the prevention and treatment of related diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- 宏灿 黄
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室 国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心 四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, and Department of Dental and Endodontic Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - 洁雅 魏
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室 国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心 四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, and Department of Dental and Endodontic Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - 德茂 张
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室 国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心 四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, and Department of Dental and Endodontic Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - 学东 周
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室 国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心 四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, and Department of Dental and Endodontic Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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23
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Diaz-Cuadros M, Pourquié O, El-Sherif E. Patterning with clocks and genetic cascades: Segmentation and regionalization of vertebrate versus insect body plans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009812. [PMID: 34648490 PMCID: PMC8516289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Oscillatory and sequential processes have been implicated in the spatial patterning of many embryonic tissues. For example, molecular clocks delimit segmental boundaries in vertebrates and insects and mediate lateral root formation in plants, whereas sequential gene activities are involved in the specification of regional identities of insect neuroblasts, vertebrate neural tube, vertebrate limb, and insect and vertebrate body axes. These processes take place in various tissues and organisms, and, hence, raise the question of what common themes and strategies they share. In this article, we review 2 processes that rely on the spatial regulation of periodic and sequential gene activities: segmentation and regionalization of the anterior-posterior (AP) axis of animal body plans. We study these processes in species that belong to 2 different phyla: vertebrates and insects. By contrasting 2 different processes (segmentation and regionalization) in species that belong to 2 distantly related phyla (arthropods and vertebrates), we elucidate the deep logic of patterning by oscillatory and sequential gene activities. Furthermore, in some of these organisms (e.g., the fruit fly Drosophila), a mode of AP patterning has evolved that seems not to overtly rely on oscillations or sequential gene activities, providing an opportunity to study the evolution of pattern formation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarete Diaz-Cuadros
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ezzat El-Sherif
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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24
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Boareto M, Tomka T, Iber D. Positional information encoded in the dynamic differences between neighboring oscillators during vertebrate segmentation. Cells Dev 2021; 168:203737. [PMID: 34481980 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2021.203737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
A central problem in developmental biology is to understand how cells interpret their positional information to give rise to spatial patterns, such as the process of periodic segmentation of the vertebrate embryo into somites. For decades, somite formation has been interpreted according to the clock-and-wavefront model. In this conceptual framework, molecular oscillators set the frequency of somite formation while the positional information is encoded in signaling gradients. Recent experiments using ex vivo explants have challenged this interpretation, suggesting that positional information is encoded in the properties of the oscillators, independent of long-range modulations such as signaling gradients. Here, we propose that positional information is encoded in the difference in the levels of neighboring oscillators. The differences gradually increase because both the amplitude and the period of the oscillators increase with time. When this difference exceeds a certain threshold, the segmentation program starts. Using this framework, we quantitatively fit experimental data from in vivo and ex vivo mouse segmentation, and propose mechanisms of somite scaling. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of spatial pattern formation based on the local interactions between dynamic molecular oscillators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Boareto
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Tomka
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dagmar Iber
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
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25
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van den Brink SC, van Oudenaarden A. 3D gastruloids: a novel frontier in stem cell-based in vitro modeling of mammalian gastrulation. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:747-759. [PMID: 34304959 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
3D gastruloids, aggregates of embryonic stem cells that recapitulate key aspects of gastrula-stage embryos, have emerged as a powerful tool to study the early stages of mammalian post-implantation development in vitro. Owing to their tractable nature and the relative ease by which they can be generated in large numbers, 3D gastruloids provide an unparalleled opportunity to study normal and pathological embryogenesis from a bottom-up perspective and in a high-throughput manner. Here, we review how gastruloid models can be exploited to deepen our understanding of mammalian development. In addition, we discuss current limitations, potential clinical applications, and ethical implications of this emerging model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne C van den Brink
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Alexander van Oudenaarden
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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26
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Trivedi N, Kumar D. Fibroblast growth factor and kidney disease: Updates for emerging novel therapeutics. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236:7909-7925. [PMID: 34196395 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) provided a profound new insight into physiological and metabolic functions. FGF has a large family by having divergent structural elements and enable functional divergence and specification. FGF and FGFRs are highly expressed during kidney development. Signals from the ureteric bud regulate morphogenesis, nephrogenesis, and nephron progenitor survival. Thus, FGF signaling plays an important role in kidney progenitor cell aggregation at the sites of new nephron formation. This review will summarize the current knowledge about functions of FGF signaling in kidney development and their ability to promote regeneration in injured kidneys and its use as a biomarker and therapeutic target in kidney diseases. Further studies are essential to determine the predictive significance of the various FGF/FGFR deviations and to integrate them into clinical algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neerja Trivedi
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Devendra Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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27
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Abstract
Arthropod segmentation and vertebrate somitogenesis are leading fields in the experimental and theoretical interrogation of developmental patterning. However, despite the sophistication of current research, basic conceptual issues remain unresolved. These include: (i) the mechanistic origins of spatial organization within the segment addition zone (SAZ); (ii) the mechanistic origins of segment polarization; (iii) the mechanistic origins of axial variation; and (iv) the evolutionary origins of simultaneous patterning. Here, I explore these problems using coarse-grained models of cross-regulating dynamical processes. In the morphogenetic framework of a row of cells undergoing axial elongation, I simulate interactions between an 'oscillator', a 'switch' and up to three 'timers', successfully reproducing essential patterning behaviours of segmenting systems. By comparing the output of these largely cell-autonomous models to variants that incorporate positional information, I find that scaling relationships, wave patterns and patterning dynamics all depend on whether the SAZ is regulated by temporal or spatial information. I also identify three mechanisms for polarizing oscillator output, all of which functionally implicate the oscillator frequency profile. Finally, I demonstrate significant dynamical and regulatory continuity between sequential and simultaneous modes of segmentation. I discuss these results in the context of the experimental literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Clark
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 210 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Trinity College Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1TQ, UK
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28
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Pantoja-Hernández J, Breña-Medina VF, Santillán M. Hybrid reaction-diffusion and clock-and-wavefront model for the arrest of oscillations in the somitogenesis segmentation clock. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2021; 31:063107. [PMID: 34241318 DOI: 10.1063/5.0045460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The clock and wavefront paradigm is arguably the most widely accepted model for explaining the embryonic process of somitogenesis. According to this model, somitogenesis is based upon the interaction between a genetic oscillator, known as segmentation clock, and a differentiation wavefront, which provides the positional information indicating where each pair of somites is formed. Shortly after the clock and wavefront paradigm was introduced, Meinhardt presented a conceptually different mathematical model for morphogenesis in general, and somitogenesis in particular. Recently, Cotterell et al. [A local, self-organizing reaction-diffusion model can explain somite patterning in embryos, Cell Syst. 1, 257-269 (2015)] rediscovered an equivalent model by systematically enumerating and studying small networks performing segmentation. Cotterell et al. called it a progressive oscillatory reaction-diffusion (PORD) model. In the Meinhardt-PORD model, somitogenesis is driven by short-range interactions and the posterior movement of the front is a local, emergent phenomenon, which is not controlled by global positional information. With this model, it is possible to explain some experimental observations that are incompatible with the clock and wavefront model. However, the Meinhardt-PORD model has some important disadvantages of its own. Namely, it is quite sensitive to fluctuations and depends on very specific initial conditions (which are not biologically realistic). In this work, we propose an equivalent Meinhardt-PORD model and then amend it to couple it with a wavefront consisting of a receding morphogen gradient. By doing so, we get a hybrid model between the Meinhardt-PORD and the clock-and-wavefront ones, which overcomes most of the deficiencies of the two originating models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Pantoja-Hernández
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Vía del Conocimiento 201, Parque PIIT, 66628 Apodaca, NL, Mexico
| | | | - Moisés Santillán
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Vía del Conocimiento 201, Parque PIIT, 66628 Apodaca, NL, Mexico
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29
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Dissecting FGF Signalling to Target Cellular Crosstalk in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040847. [PMID: 33918004 PMCID: PMC8068358 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis with a 5 year survival rate of less than 8%, and is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. Alongside late detection, which impacts upon surgical treatment, PDAC tumours are challenging to treat due to their desmoplastic stroma and hypovascular nature, which limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which form a key part of this stroma, become activated in response to tumour development, entering into cross-talk with cancer cells to induce tumour cell proliferation and invasion, leading to metastatic spread. We and others have shown that Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) signalling can play a critical role in the interactions between PDAC cells and the tumour microenvironment, but it is clear that the FGFR signalling pathway is not acting in isolation. Here we describe our current understanding of the mechanisms by which FGFR signalling contributes to PDAC progression, focusing on its interaction with other pathways in signalling networks and discussing the therapeutic approaches that are being developed to try and improve prognosis for this terrible disease.
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30
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Sambasivan R, Steventon B. Neuromesodermal Progenitors: A Basis for Robust Axial Patterning in Development and Evolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:607516. [PMID: 33520989 PMCID: PMC7843932 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.607516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During early development the vertebrate embryo elongates through a combination of tissue shape change, growth and progenitor cell expansion across multiple regions of the body axis. How these events are coordinated across the length of the embryo to generate a well-proportioned body axis is unknown. Understanding the multi-tissue interplay of morphogenesis, growth and cell fate specification is essential for us to gain a complete understanding how diverse body plans have evolved in a robust manner. Within the posterior region of the embryo, a population of bipotent neuromesodermal progenitors generate both spinal cord and paraxial mesoderm derivatives during the elongation of the vertebrate body. Here we summarize recent data comparing neuromesodermal lineage and their underlying gene-regulatory networks between species and through development. We find that the common characteristic underlying this population is a competence to generate posterior neural and paraxial mesoderm cells, with a conserved Wnt/FGF and Sox2/T/Tbx6 regulatory network. We propose the hypothesis that by maintaining a population of multi-germ layer competent progenitors at the posterior aspect of the embryo, a flexible pool of progenitors is maintained whose contribution to the elongating body axis varies as a consequence of the relative growth rates occurring within anterior and posterior regions of the body axis. We discuss how this capacity for variation in the proportions and rates of NM specification might have been important allowing for alterations in the timing of embryo growth during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramkumar Sambasivan
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, India
| | - Benjamin Steventon
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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31
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Veenvliet JV, Herrmann BG. Modeling mammalian trunk development in a dish. Dev Biol 2020; 474:5-15. [PMID: 33347872 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian post-implantation development comprises the coordination of complex lineage decisions and morphogenetic processes shaping the embryo. Despite technological advances, a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of these processes and of the self-organization capabilities of stem cells and their descendants remains elusive. Building synthetic embryo-like structures from pluripotent embryonic stem cells in vitro promises to fill these knowledge gaps and thereby may prove transformative for developmental biology. Initial efforts to model the post-implantation embryo resulted in structures with compromised morphology (gastruloids). Recent approaches employing modified culture media, an extracellular matrix surrogate or extra-embryonic stem cells, however, succeeded in establishing embryo-like architecture. For example, embedding of gastruloids in Matrigel unlocked self-organization into trunk-like structures with bilateral somites and a neural tube-like structure, together with gut tissue and primordial germ cell-like cells. In this review, we describe the currently available models, discuss how these can be employed to acquire novel biological insights, and detail the imminent challenges for improving current models by in vitro engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse V Veenvliet
- Dept. of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard G Herrmann
- Dept. of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany; Institute for Medical Genetics, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
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32
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Anderson MJ, Magidson V, Kageyama R, Lewandoski M. Fgf4 maintains Hes7 levels critical for normal somite segmentation clock function. eLife 2020; 9:55608. [PMID: 33210601 PMCID: PMC7717904 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate development, the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) periodically segments into somites, which will form the segmented vertebral column and associated muscle, connective tissue, and dermis. The periodicity of somitogenesis is regulated by a segmentation clock of oscillating Notch activity. Here, we examined mouse mutants lacking only Fgf4 or Fgf8, which we previously demonstrated act redundantly to prevent PSM differentiation. Fgf8 is not required for somitogenesis, but Fgf4 mutants display a range of vertebral defects. We analyzed Fgf4 mutants by quantifying mRNAs fluorescently labeled by hybridization chain reaction within Imaris-based volumetric tissue subsets. These data indicate that FGF4 maintains Hes7 levels and normal oscillatory patterns. To support our hypothesis that FGF4 regulates somitogenesis through Hes7, we demonstrate genetic synergy between Hes7 and Fgf4, but not with Fgf8. Our data indicate that Fgf4 is potentially important in a spectrum of human Segmentation Defects of the Vertebrae caused by defective Notch oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Anderson
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, United States
| | - Valentin Magidson
- Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, United States
| | - Ryoichiro Kageyama
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mark Lewandoski
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, United States
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33
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Rosado-Olivieri EA, Brivanlou AH. Gastruloids Gain Muscle: Somite Formation in Embryo-Like Structures. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 26:467-468. [PMID: 32243802 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Gastruloids are embryo-like structures that display key features of post-implantation embryonic development, yet whether they fully recapitulate in vivo embryogenesis remains unsolved. Recently in Nature, van den Brink et al. (2020) performed high-resolution gene expression analysis to identify significant similarities between mouse gastruloids and embryos in positional lineage segregation and somite formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin A Rosado-Olivieri
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ali H Brivanlou
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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34
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Boylan M, Anderson MJ, Ornitz DM, Lewandoski M. The Fgf8 subfamily (Fgf8, Fgf17 and Fgf18) is required for closure of the embryonic ventral body wall. Development 2020; 147:dev189506. [PMID: 32907848 PMCID: PMC7595690 DOI: 10.1242/dev.189506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The closure of the embryonic ventral body wall in amniotes is an important morphogenetic event and is essential for life. Defects in human ventral wall closure are a major class of birth defect and a significant health burden. Despite this, very little is understood about how the ventral body wall is formed. Here, we show that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) ligands FGF8, FGF17 and FGF18 are essential for this process. Conditional mouse mutants for these genes display subtle migratory defects in the abdominal muscles of the ventral body wall and an enlarged umbilical ring, through which the internal organs are extruded. By refining where and when these genes are required using different Cre lines, we show that Fgf8 and Fgf17 are required in the presomitic mesoderm, whereas Fgf18 is required in the somites. This study identifies complex and multifactorial origins of ventral wall defects and has important implications for understanding their origins during embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Boylan
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Lab, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Matthew J Anderson
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Lab, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - David M Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Mark Lewandoski
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Lab, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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35
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Li R, Liu S, Qiu W, Yang F, Zheng Y, Xiong Y, Li G, Zheng C. Transcriptomic analysis of bisphenol AF on early growth and development of zebrafish ( Danio rerio) larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 4:100054. [PMID: 36157705 PMCID: PMC9488094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2020.100054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol AF (BPAF), an alternative to bisphenol A, is widely detected in aquatic environments. Owing to health concerns, the toxic effects of BPAF on organisms are drawing attention. The present study aims to evaluate the toxicity of BPAF, combining the results of omics techniques and experiment. Employing transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), we obtained 391, 648, 512, and 545 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L BPAF-exposed zebrafish larvae, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment revealed the early development, stimulus-response, and MAPK signaling pathway were significantly affected by BPAF. In addition, five hub genes (fgf3, fgf4, map2k1, myca, and casp3b) were highlighted as the key genes in MAPK signaling pathway using the protein-protein interaction network. Therefore, the RNA-seq results showed that early development and stimulus-response were the main processes affected by BPAF, which was consistent with our morphological and pathological results. The hatching rate of zebrafish embryos in 1 and 10 μg/L BPAF groups was significantly inhibited, and the oxidative stress indexes, including the level of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation (LPO), were significantly increased by the 100 μg/L BPAF treatment. Moreover, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) was significantly decreased in all BPAF exposure groups. In conclusion, exposure to BPAF at environmental relevant concentrations affected the early development and immune system of zebrafish larvae by modulating MAPK signaling pathway, and our results provide solid evidence for the future studies on the toxicity of bisphenols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongzhen Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Wenhui Qiu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Corresponding author. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Feng Yang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Shenzhen Municipal Engineering Lab of Environmental IoT Technologies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ying Xiong
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Guanrong Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chunmiao Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Corresponding author. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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36
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An In Vitro Human Segmentation Clock Model Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells. Cell Rep 2020; 28:2247-2255.e5. [PMID: 31461642 PMCID: PMC6814198 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Defects in somitogenesis result in vertebral malformations at birth known as spondylocostal dysostosis (SCDO). Somites are formed with a species-specific periodicity controlled by the “segmentation clock,” which comprises a group of oscillatory genes in the presomitic mesoderm. Here, we report that a segmentation clock model derived from human embryonic stem cells shows many hallmarks of the mammalian segmentation clock in vivo, including a dependence on the NOTCH and WNT signaling pathways. The gene expression oscillations are highly synchronized, displaying a periodicity specific to the human clock. Introduction of a point of mutation into HES7, a specific mutation previously associated with clinical SCDO, eliminated clock gene oscillations, successfully reproducing the defects in the segmentation clock. Thus, we provide a model for studying the previously inaccessible human segmentation clock to better understand the mechanisms contributing to congenital skeletal defects. The segmentation clock is a molecular oscillator regulating the tempo of somite formation in a species-specific manner. Chu et al. report an embryonic-stem-cell-derived model system displaying a human-specific gene oscillation periodicity, which can shed light on human somitogenesis and model skeletal developmental disorders.
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37
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Dias A, Lozovska A, Wymeersch FJ, Nóvoa A, Binagui-Casas A, Sobral D, Martins GG, Wilson V, Mallo M. A Tgfbr1/Snai1-dependent developmental module at the core of vertebrate axial elongation. eLife 2020; 9:56615. [PMID: 32597756 PMCID: PMC7324159 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of the vertebrate postcranial body axis follows two sequential but distinct phases. The first phase generates pre-sacral structures (the so-called primary body) through the activity of the primitive streak on axial progenitors within the epiblast. The embryo then switches to generate the secondary body (post-sacral structures), which depends on axial progenitors in the tail bud. Here we show that the mammalian tail bud is generated through an independent functional developmental module, concurrent but functionally different from that generating the primary body. This module is triggered by convergent Tgfbr1 and Snai1 activities that promote an incomplete epithelial to mesenchymal transition on a subset of epiblast axial progenitors. This EMT is functionally different from that coordinated by the primitive streak, as it does not lead to mesodermal differentiation but brings axial progenitors into a transitory state, keeping their progenitor activity to drive further axial body extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Dias
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Filip J Wymeersch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Nóvoa
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Anahi Binagui-Casas
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Gabriel G Martins
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.,Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Valerie Wilson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Moises Mallo
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
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38
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Saito S, Suzuki T. How do signaling and transcription factors regulate both axis elongation and Hox gene expression along the anteroposterior axis? Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:363-375. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Saito
- Division of Biological Science Graduate School of Science Nagoya University Nagoya Japan
| | - Takayuki Suzuki
- Avian Bioscience Research Center Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences Nagoya University Nagoya Japan
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39
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Berenguer M, Meyer KF, Yin J, Duester G. Discovery of genes required for body axis and limb formation by global identification of retinoic acid-regulated epigenetic marks. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000719. [PMID: 32421711 PMCID: PMC7259794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Identification of target genes that mediate required functions downstream of transcription factors is hampered by the large number of genes whose expression changes when the factor is removed from a specific tissue and the numerous binding sites for the factor in the genome. Retinoic acid (RA) regulates transcription via RA receptors bound to RA response elements (RAREs) of which there are thousands in vertebrate genomes. Here, we combined chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) for epigenetic marks and RNA-seq on trunk tissue from wild-type and Aldh1a2-/- embryos lacking RA synthesis that exhibit body axis and forelimb defects. We identified a relatively small number of genes with altered expression when RA is missing that also have nearby RA-regulated deposition of histone H3 K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) (gene activation mark) or histone H3 K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) (gene repression mark) associated with conserved RAREs, suggesting these genes function downstream of RA. RA-regulated epigenetic marks were identified near RA target genes already known to be required for body axis and limb formation, thus validating our approach; plus, many other candidate RA target genes were found. Nuclear receptor 2f1 (Nr2f1) and nuclear receptor 2f2 (Nr2f2) in addition to Meis homeobox 1 (Meis1) and Meis homeobox 2 (Meis2) gene family members were identified by our approach, and double knockouts of each family demonstrated previously unknown requirements for body axis and/or limb formation. A similar epigenetic approach can be used to determine the target genes for any transcriptional regulator for which a knockout is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Berenguer
- Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Karolin F. Meyer
- Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jun Yin
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Gregg Duester
- Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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40
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Ten Tusscher K. Of mice and plants: Comparative developmental systems biology. Dev Biol 2020; 460:32-39. [PMID: 30395805 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Multicellular animals and plants represent independent evolutionary experiments with complex multicellular bodyplans. Differences in their life history, a mobile versus sessile lifestyle, and predominant embryonic versus postembryonic development, have led to the evolution of highly different body plans. However, also many intriguing parallels exist. Extension of the vertebrate body axis and its segmentation into somites bears striking resemblance to plant root growth and the concomittant prepatterning of lateral root competent sites. Likewise, plant shoot phyllotaxis displays similarities with vertebrate limb and digit patterning. Additionally, both plants and animals use complex signalling systems combining systemic and local signals to fine tune and coordinate organ growth across their body. Identification of these striking examples of convergent evolution provides support for the existence of general design principles: the idea that for particular patterning demands, evolution is likely to arrive at highly similar developmental patterning mechanisms. Furthermore, focussing on these parallels may aid in identifying core mechanistic principles, often obscured by the highly complex nature of multiscale patterning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Ten Tusscher
- Computational Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
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41
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Song J, Wang C, Long D, Li Z, You L, Brand-Saberi B, Wang G, Yang X. Dysbacteriosis-induced LPS elevation disturbs the development of muscle progenitor cells by interfering with retinoic acid signaling. FASEB J 2020; 34:6837-6853. [PMID: 32223025 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902965r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Whether myogenesis is affected by the maternal gut dysbacteriosis still remains ambiguous. In this study, first we show the elevated level of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in a gut microbiota dysbiosis mouse model. Second, we demonstrate that the diameter of muscle fibers, limb development, and somitogenesis were inhibited in both the gut microbiota dysbiosis and LPS exposed mice and chicken embryos. These might be due to LPS disturbed the cell survival and key genes which regulate the somitogenesis and myogenesis. RNA sequencing and subsequent validation experiments verified that retinoic acid (RA) signaling perturbation was mainly responsible for the aberrant somite formation and differentiation. Subsequently, we found that LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS generation and antioxidant genes such as Nrf2, AKR1B10) contributed to the above -mentioned interference with RA signaling. These findings highlight that the gut microbiota homeostasis is also involved in regulating the development of muscle progenitor cells during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Song
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaojie Wang
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Denglu Long
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziguang Li
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingsen You
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Guang Wang
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuesong Yang
- Division of Histology and Embryology, International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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42
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Naoki H, Matsui T. Somite boundary determination in normal and clock-less vertebrate embryos. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:177-187. [PMID: 32108939 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate segments called somites are generated by periodic segmentation of the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). In the most accepted theoretical model for somite segmentation, the clock and wavefront (CW) model, a clock that ticks to determine particular timings and a wavefront that moves posteriorly are presented in the PSM, and somite positions are determined when the clock meets the posteriorly moving wavefront somewhere in the PSM. Over the last two decades, it has been revealed that the molecular mechanism of the clock and wavefront in vertebrates is based on clock genes including Hes family transcription factors and Notch effectors that oscillate within the PSM to determine particular timings and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) gradients, acting as the posteriorly moving wavefront to determine the position of somite segmentation. A clock-less condition in the CW model was predicted to form no somites; however, irregularly sized somites were still formed in mice and zebrafish, suggesting that this was one of the limitations of the CW model. Recently, we performed interdisciplinary research of experimental and theoretical biological studies and revealed the mechanisms of somite boundary determination in normal and clock-less conditions by characterization of the FGF/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity dynamics. Since features of the molecular clock have already been described in-depth in several reviews, we summarized recent findings regarding the role of FGF/ERK signaling in somite boundary formation and described our current understanding of how FGF/ERK signaling contributes to somitogenesis in normal and clock-less conditions in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honda Naoki
- Laboratory of Theoretical Biology, Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takaaki Matsui
- Gene Regulation Research, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama, Nara, Japan
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43
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van den Brink SC, Alemany A, van Batenburg V, Moris N, Blotenburg M, Vivié J, Baillie-Johnson P, Nichols J, Sonnen KF, Martinez Arias A, van Oudenaarden A. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal somitogenesis in gastruloids. Nature 2020; 582:405-409. [PMID: 32076263 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Gastruloids are three-dimensional aggregates of embryonic stem cells that display key features of mammalian development after implantation, including germ-layer specification and axial organization1-3. To date, the expression pattern of only a small number of genes in gastruloids has been explored with microscopy, and the extent to which genome-wide expression patterns in gastruloids mimic those in embryos is unclear. Here we compare mouse gastruloids with mouse embryos using single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics. We identify various embryonic cell types that were not previously known to be present in gastruloids, and show that key regulators of somitogenesis are expressed similarly between embryos and gastruloids. Using live imaging, we show that the somitogenesis clock is active in gastruloids and has dynamics that resemble those in vivo. Because gastruloids can be grown in large quantities, we performed a small screen that revealed how reduced FGF signalling induces a short-tail phenotype in embryos. Finally, we demonstrate that embedding in Matrigel induces gastruloids to generate somites with the correct rostral-caudal patterning, which appear sequentially in an anterior-to-posterior direction over time. This study thus shows the power of gastruloids as a model system for exploring development and somitogenesis in vitro in a high-throughput manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne C van den Brink
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Anna Alemany
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent van Batenburg
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Naomi Moris
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marloes Blotenburg
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Vivié
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jennifer Nichols
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katharina F Sonnen
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Alexander van Oudenaarden
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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44
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Arbajian E, Hofvander J, Magnusson L, Mertens F. Deep sequencing of myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2020; 59:309-317. [PMID: 31898851 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS) has recurrent genetic features in the form of a translocation t(1;10)(p22-31;q24-25), BRAF gene fusions, and/or an amplicon in 3p11-12 including the VGLL3 gene. The breakpoints on chromosomes 1 and 10 in the t(1;10) cluster in or near the TGFBR3 and OGA genes, respectively. We here used a combination of deep sequencing of the genome (WGS), captured sequences (Cap-seq), and transcriptome (RNA-seq) and genomic arrays to investigate the molecular outcome of the t(1;10) and the VGLL3 amplicon, as well as to assess the spectrum of other recurrent genomic features in MIFS. Apart from a ROBO1-BRAF chimera in a t(1;10)-negative MIFS-like tumor, no fusion gene was found at RNA-seq. This was in line with WGS and Cap-seq results, revealing variable breakpoints in chromosomes 1 and 10 and genomic breakpoints that should not yield functional fusion transcripts. The most common genomic rearrangements were breakpoints in or around the OGA, NPM3, and FGF8 genes in chromosome band 10q24, and loss of 1p11-p21 and 10q26-qter (all simultaneously present in 6/7 MIFS); a breakpoint in or near TGFBR3 in chromosome 1 was found in four of these tumors. Amplification and overexpression of VGLL3 was a consistent feature in MIFS and MIFS-like tumors with amplicons in 3p11-12. The significant molecular genetic outcome of the recurrent t(1;10) could be loss of genetic material from 1p and 10q. Other recurrent genomic imbalances in MIFS, such as homozygous loss of CDKN2A and 3p- and 13q-deletions, are shared with other sarcomas, suggesting overlapping pathogenetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Arbajian
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jakob Hofvander
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Linda Magnusson
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Mertens
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Genetics and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Lund, Sweden
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45
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Grall E, Tschopp P. A sense of place, many times over ‐ pattern formation and evolution of repetitive morphological structures. Dev Dyn 2019; 249:313-327. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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46
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Mongera A, Michaut A, Guillot C, Xiong F, Pourquié O. Mechanics of Anteroposterior Axis Formation in Vertebrates. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2019; 35:259-283. [PMID: 31412208 PMCID: PMC7394480 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100818-125436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate anteroposterior axis forms through elongation of multiple tissues during embryogenesis. This process is based on tissue-autonomous mechanisms of force generation and intertissue mechanical coupling whose failure leads to severe developmental anomalies such as body truncation and spina bifida. Similar to other morphogenetic modules, anteroposterior body extension requires both the rearrangement of existing materials-such as cells and extracellular matrix-and the local addition of new materials, i.e., anisotropic growth, through cell proliferation, cell growth, and matrix deposition. Numerous signaling pathways coordinate body axis formation via regulation of cell behavior during tissue rearrangements and/or volumetric growth. From a physical perspective, morphogenesis depends on both cell-generated forces and tissue material properties. As the spatiotemporal variation of these mechanical parameters has recently been explored in the context of vertebrate body elongation, the study of this process is likely to shed light on the cross talk between signaling and mechanics during morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Mongera
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Arthur Michaut
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Charlène Guillot
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Fengzhu Xiong
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
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47
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Moreau JLM, Kesteven S, Martin EMMA, Lau KS, Yam MX, O'Reilly VC, Del Monte-Nieto G, Baldini A, Feneley MP, Moon AM, Harvey RP, Sparrow DB, Chapman G, Dunwoodie SL. Gene-environment interaction impacts on heart development and embryo survival. Development 2019; 146:146/4/dev172957. [PMID: 30787001 DOI: 10.1242/dev.172957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of birth defect. In recent years, research has focussed on identifying the genetic causes of CHD. However, only a minority of CHD cases can be attributed to single gene mutations. In addition, studies have identified different environmental stressors that promote CHD, but the additive effect of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors is poorly understood. In this context, we have investigated the effects of short-term gestational hypoxia on mouse embryos genetically predisposed to heart defects. Exposure of mouse embryos heterozygous for Tbx1 or Fgfr1/Fgfr2 to hypoxia in utero increased the incidence and severity of heart defects while Nkx2-5+/- embryos died within 2 days of hypoxic exposure. We identified the molecular consequences of the interaction between Nkx2-5 and short-term gestational hypoxia, which suggest that reduced Nkx2-5 expression and a prolonged hypoxia-inducible factor 1α response together precipitate embryo death. Our study provides insight into the causes of embryo loss and variable penetrance of monogenic CHD, and raises the possibility that cases of foetal death and CHD in humans could be caused by similar gene-environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie L M Moreau
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Scott Kesteven
- Cardiac Physiology and Transplantation Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Ella M M A Martin
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Kin S Lau
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Michelle X Yam
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Victoria C O'Reilly
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Gonzalo Del Monte-Nieto
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Antonio Baldini
- Dept. of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University Federico II, Naples, and Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Michael P Feneley
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,Cardiac Physiology and Transplantation Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,Cardiology Department, St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Anne M Moon
- Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA 17822, USA
| | - Richard P Harvey
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2033, Australia
| | - Duncan B Sparrow
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Gavin Chapman
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Sally L Dunwoodie
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia .,St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2010, Australia.,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2033, Australia
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48
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Naoki H, Akiyama R, Sari DWK, Ishii S, Bessho Y, Matsui T. Noise-resistant developmental reproducibility in vertebrate somite formation. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006579. [PMID: 30716091 PMCID: PMC6361423 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The reproducibility of embryonic development is remarkable, although molecular processes are intrinsically stochastic at the single-cell level. How the multicellular system resists the inevitable noise to acquire developmental reproducibility constitutes a fundamental question in developmental biology. Toward this end, we focused on vertebrate somitogenesis as a representative system, because somites are repeatedly reproduced within a single embryo whereas such reproducibility is lost in segmentation clock gene-deficient embryos. However, the effect of noise on developmental reproducibility has not been fully investigated, because of the technical difficulty in manipulating the noise intensity in experiments. In this study, we developed a computational model of ERK-mediated somitogenesis, in which bistable ERK activity is regulated by an FGF gradient, cell-cell communication, and the segmentation clock, subject to the intrinsic noise. The model simulation generated our previous in vivo observation that the ERK activity was distributed in a step-like gradient in the presomitic mesoderm, and its boundary was posteriorly shifted by the clock in a stepwise manner, leading to regular somite formation. Here, we showed that this somite regularity was robustly maintained against the noise. Removing the clock from the model predicted that the stepwise shift of the ERK activity occurs at irregular timing with irregular distance owing to the noise, resulting in somite size variation. This model prediction was recently confirmed by live imaging of ERK activity in zebrafish embryos. Through theoretical analysis, we presented a mechanism by which the clock reduces the inherent somite irregularity observed in clock-deficient embryos. Therefore, this study indicates a novel role of the segmentation clock in noise-resistant developmental reproducibility. The segmentation clock has been widely considered vital for somite formation, because clock-deficient embryos display severe segmental defects. However, irregular somites are still formed, suggesting that the clock is not required for somite formation itself but rather endows it with developmental reproducibility. Thus, the following questions arose: How do irregular somites emerge in a clock-independent manner? How is the irregularity reduced in the presence of the clock? To address these questions, we developed a computational model of somitogenesis. We then clarified that the intrinsic noise induces spontaneous formation of irregular-sized somites in the absence of the clock, and that the clock plays an important role in suppressing the noise effect for reproducible somite formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honda Naoki
- Laboratory of Theoretical Biology, Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshidakonoecho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Ryutaro Akiyama
- Gene Regulation Research, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama, Nara, Japan
| | - Dini Wahyu Kartika Sari
- Gene Regulation Research, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama, Nara, Japan
| | - Shin Ishii
- Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Bessho
- Gene Regulation Research, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama, Nara, Japan
| | - Takaaki Matsui
- Gene Regulation Research, Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama, Nara, Japan
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49
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Aires R, de Lemos L, Nóvoa A, Jurberg AD, Mascrez B, Duboule D, Mallo M. Tail Bud Progenitor Activity Relies on a Network Comprising Gdf11, Lin28, and Hox13 Genes. Dev Cell 2019; 48:383-395.e8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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50
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Aires R, Dias A, Mallo M. Deconstructing the molecular mechanisms shaping the vertebrate body plan. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2018; 55:81-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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