A Caenorhabditis elegans model for epithelial-neuronal transdifferentiation.
Fiche publication
Date publication
mars 2008
Auteurs
Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Dr JARRIAULT Sophie
Tous les auteurs :
Jarriault S, Schwab Y, Greenwald I
Lien Pubmed
Résumé
Understanding transdifferentiation-the conversion of one differentiated cell type into another-is important from both basic science and clinical perspectives. In Caenorhabditis elegans, an epithelial cell named Y is initially part of the rectum but later appears to withdraw, migrate, and then become a motor neuron named PDA. Here, we show that this represents a bona fide transdifferentiation event: Y has epithelial hallmarks without detectable neural characteristics, and PDA has no residual epithelial characteristics. Using available mutants and laser microsurgery, we found that transdifferentiation does not depend on fusion with a neighboring cell or require migration of Y away from the rectum, that other rectal epithelial cells are not competent to transdifferentiate, and that transdifferentiation requires the EGL-5 and SEM-4 transcription factors and LIN-12/Notch signaling. Our results establish Y-to-PDA transdifferentiation as a genetically tractable model for deciphering the mechanisms underlying cellular plasticity in vivo.
Référence
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Mar 11;105(10):3790-5