Developmental age-related cell sorting inDictyostelium discoideum

Abstract

The sorting behavior of mixtures ofD. discoideum cells which had been developed for different lengths of time was examined. Cells developed for 4 and 8 h were mixed together and allowed to form slugs. Within the slugs, 8 h cells sorted to the anterior prestalk region while 4 h cells sorted to the posterior prespore region. These results indicate that the more developed a cell is, the more likely it is to become part of the prestalk zone in the slug. They are also consistent with the differential adhesion and chemotaxis hypotheses as a mechanism for cell sorting since cells become more adhesive and chemotactically responsive as development proceeds.

The Dictyostelium cell cycle and its relationship to differentiation

“…In addition, immediately post mitotic cells, synchronized by mitotic wash off, developed more rapidly than other cells and showed a higher incidence of centre formation [26,27]. In addition, immediately post mitotic cells, synchronized by mitotic wash off, developed more rapidly than other cells and showed a higher incidence of centre formation [26,27].…”

Pattern Formation in a Cell‐Cycle Dependent Manner during the Development of Dictyostelium discoideum

“…Ax-2 cells at more advanced developmental stages are sorted out to the anterior prestalk zone of a slug (25,31), possibly due to differential chemotaxis and cohesiveness, and there seems to be about a 3 hr-difference in developmental stages between G(-)ohr and G(+),,, cells just after starvation (31). The most striking sorting was observed when G( +)Ohr cells were mixed with G( -)3hr cells that were allowed to develop for 3 hr: the G( -)3hr cells became preferentially located in the anterior prestalk zone of the slug (31).…”

Patterning of development in Dictyostelium discoideum: factors regulating growth, differentiation, spore dormancy, and germination

“…In D. discoideum, several researchers agree that the initiation of cell fate is determined at that point in the vegetative cell cycle when cells are starved and challenged to differentiate (McDonald and Durston 1984;Sharpe and Watts 1985;Gomer and Firtel 1987;Maeda et al 1989). Another preaggregative condition known to influence cell fate is the age of the cells (Leach et al 1973;McDonald 1980McDonald , 1984McDonald and Durston 1984). Cells in the early portion of the cell cycle or those starved for long periods of time (aged cells) sort preferentially to the anterior (prestalk region) of the slug to become stalk cells of the sorocarp.…”