S20-03 A new effector, the matrix-metalloproteinase MMP9, is essential for neural crest onset of migration

Abstract

Primordial germ cell (PGC) migration in zebrafish is directed by the chemokine SDF-1a that activates its receptor CXCR4b. Guided PGC migration in zebrafish thus serves as a model for chemokinedirected cell migration, a process that is relevant for a wide range of events in development, homeostasis and disease. We show that during their migration PGCs generate bleb-like protrusions that are powered by cytoplasmic flow. Using invivo imaging and probes for the distribution of various structural and regulatory components, we found that those protrusions are formed at sites