Abstract
EGF, emitted by the Anchor Cell, patterns six equipotent C. elegans vulval precursor cells to assume a precise array of three cell fates with high fidelity. A group of core and modulatory signaling cascades forms a signaling network that demonstrates plasticity during the transition from naïve to terminally differentiated cells. In this review, we summarize the history of classical developmental manipulations and molecular genetics experiments that led to our understanding of the signals governing this process, and discuss principles of signal transduction and developmental biology that have emerged from these studies.
Highlights
Negative regulators of 1 ̊ signaling are perturbed [39,40]. These results indicate that a spatially graded signal is detected by vulval precursor cells (VPCs): this graded signal contributes to the 3 ̊-3 ̊-2 ̊-1 ̊-2 ̊-3 ̊ VPC fate pattern, the morphogen is the EGF ortholog
A resolution of this contradiction is that a combination of low dose LIN-3 and autocrine signaling by DSL Notch ligands could induce distal and isolated
The sy1 mutation causes LET-23 to be mis-localized to the apical membrane of the VPCs, suggesting that the 1◦ -promoting signal occurs at the basolateral surface, closest to the anchor cell (AC) [84]
Summary
Pattern formation of C. elegans vulval cell fates has proved to be an excellent model for the study. We discuss the signaling network led to threethe non-exclusive mechanistic models that describe VPC fate patterning. SUR-2/MED23 is required for 2 ̊ fate induction [28], and◦ was later shown to be required for expression of the DSL ligands of Notch in the presumptive 1 cells [29]. Negative regulators of 1 ̊ signaling are perturbed [39,40] Taken together, these results indicate that a spatially graded signal is detected by VPCs: this graded signal contributes to the 3 ̊-3 ̊-2 ̊-1 ̊-2 ̊-3 ̊ VPC fate pattern, the morphogen is the EGF ortholog. LIN-3, and its receptor is the EGFR ortholog, LET-23, and LIN-12/Notch is required to signally laterally from the presumptive 1◦ cell, to induce 2◦ fate [41]
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