Cell Biology
Gradients of glucose metabolism regulate morphogen signalling required for specifying tonotopic organization in the chicken cochlea
In vertebrates with elongated auditory organs, mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) are organised such that complex sounds are broken down into their component frequencies along a proximal-to-distal long (tonotopic) axis. Acquisition of unique morphologies …
Cell Biology
Continuous muscle, glial, epithelial, neuronal, and hemocyte cell lines for Drosophila research
Expression of activated Ras, RasV12, provides Drosophila cultured cells with a proliferation and survival advantage that simplifies the generation of continuous cell lines. Here we used lineage restricted RasV12 expression to generate continuous cell l…
Cell Biology
Dynamic regulation of inter-organelle communication by ubiquitylation controls skeletal muscle development and disease onset
Ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) dysfunction is associated with the pathology of a wide range of human diseases, including myopathies and muscular atrophy. However, the mechanistic understanding of specific components of the regulation of protein turn…
Cell Biology
Reciprocal discoidin domain receptor signaling strengthens integrin adhesion to connect adjacent tissues
Separate tissues connect through adjoining basement membranes to carry out molecular barrier, exchange, and organ support functions. Cell adhesion at these connections must be robust and balanced to withstand independent tissue movement. Yet, how cells…
Cell Biology
Differential modification of the C-terminal tails of different α-tubulins and their importance for microtubule function <i>in vivo</i>
Microtubules (MTs) are built from α-/β-tubulin dimers and used as tracks by kinesin and dynein motors to transport a variety of cargos, such as mRNAs, proteins, and organelles, within the cell. Tubulins are subjected to several post-translational modif…
Cell Biology
Nr2f1a maintains atrial <i>nkx2.5</i> expression to repress pacemaker identity within venous atrial cardiomyocytes of zebrafish
Maintenance of cardiomyocyte identity is vital for normal heart development and function. However, our understanding of cardiomyocyte plasticity remains incomplete. Here, we show that sustained expression of the zebrafish transcription factor Nr2f1a pr…
Cell Biology
A ratchet-like apical constriction drives cell ingression during the mouse gastrulation EMT
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental process whereby epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal phenotypes and the ability to migrate. EMT is the hallmark of gastrulation, an evolutionarily conserved developmental process. In mammals, …
Cell Biology
The fat body cortical actin network regulates <i>Drosophila</i> inter-organ nutrient trafficking, signaling, and adipose cell size
Defective nutrient storage and adipocyte enlargement (hypertrophy) are emerging features of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Within adipose tissues, how the cytoskeletal network contributes to adipose cell size, nutrient uptake, fat storage, and…
Cell Biology
The dark kinase STK32A regulates hair cell planar polarity opposite of EMX2 in the developing mouse inner ear
The vestibular maculae of the inner ear contain sensory receptor hair cells that detect linear acceleration and contribute to equilibrioception to coordinate posture and ambulatory movements. These hair cells are divided between two groups, separated b…