Contraction of basal filopodia controls periodic feather branching via Notch and FGF signaling.
Nat Commun
; 9(1): 1345, 2018 04 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29632339
ABSTRACT
Branching morphogenesis is a general mechanism that increases the surface area of an organ. In chicken feathers, the flat epithelial sheath at the base of the follicle is transformed into periodic branches. How exactly the keratinocytes are organized into this pattern remains unclear. Here we show that in the feather follicle, the pre-branch basal keratinocytes have extensive filopodia, which contract and smooth out after branching. Manipulating the filopodia via small GTPases RhoA/Cdc42 also regulates branch formation. These basal filopodia help interpret the proximal-distal FGF gradient in the follicle. Furthermore, the topological arrangement of cell adhesion via E-Cadherin re-distribution controls the branching process. Periodic activation of Notch signaling drives the differential cell adhesion and contraction of basal filopodia, which occurs only below an FGF signaling threshold. Our results suggest a coordinated adjustment of cell shape and adhesion orchestrates feather branching, which is regulated by Notch and FGF signaling.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Avian Proteins
/
Receptors, Notch
/
Feathers
/
Fibroblast Growth Factors
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Nat Commun
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA
/
CIENCIA
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China