How to get in shape: regulation of morphogenesis in the early Xenopus embryo Center for Developmental Biology

Home > Seminars and Events > How to get in shape: regulation of morphogenesis in the early Xenopus embryo

Category	Seminar
Date and Time	2006-09-19 13:30 - 14:30
Venue	Auditorium C1F
Speaker	Herbert Steinbeisser
Affiliation	Institute of Human Genetics, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Title	How to get in shape: regulation of morphogenesis in the early Xenopus embryo
Poster	click here to download(PDF)
Host	Yoshiki Sasai
Summary	During gastrulation the Xenopus embryo has to develop two important morphogenetic cell behaviours. Cells of the mesoderm have to perform convergent-extension (CE) movements, which result in the establishment of the anterior-posterior (AP) body axis. Involuting mes-endoderm and ectoderm have to develop tissue separation (TS) behaviour in order to prevent mixing of the germ layers. Recent experiments suggest that non-canonical Wnt-signalling pathways are involved in the regulation of CE and TS. We have identified the receptor Frizzled 7 (Xfz7) and the Paraxial Protocadherin (PAPC) as components of the gastrula morphogenesis machinery. In the context of CE and TS the C-terminus of PAPC has signalling functions which modulates non canonical Wnt-signalling pathways. In a yeast two hybrid screen we have identified proteins which functionally connect PAPC and the Wnt pathways.