Xenopus cadherin-11 is expressed in different populations of migrating neural crest cells

Abstract

We cloned the Xenopus homologue of cadherin-11 and studied its spatiotemporal expression pattern during early development. The messenger RNA is present from the mid-gastrulation through embryo development. It is expressed in different neural crest cell populations, during their migration and differentiation. This pattern, unexpected for an adhesion molecule, reinforces the idea of novel functions for type II cadherins.

Extracellular Cleavage of Cadherin-11 by ADAM Metalloproteases Is Essential forXenopusCranial Neural Crest Cell Migration

“…Among the different model organisms, both cadherin-11 and -7 are expressed in neural crest cells throughout migration (Kimura et al, 1995;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995;Hadeball et al, 1998;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1998;Vallin et al, 1998). N-Cadherin and cadherin-6B are also expressed in neural crest cells but are down-regulated shortly after the onset of migration (Akitaya and Bronner-Fraser, 1992;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995;Inoue et al, 1997).…”

“…To date, there have been four different Cadherin molecules implicated in neural crest migration among the mouse, chick, and Xenopus models (Akitaya and Bronner-Fraser, 1992;Kimura et al, 1995;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995;Inoue et al, 1997;Hadeball et al, 1998;Vallin et al, 1998;Borchers et al, 2001;Coles et al, 2007). These four molecules can be divided into two groups in relation to their expression during migration.…”

“…The first group consisting of N-cadherin and cadherin-6 (also Cad-6A) are both expressed at the beginning of migration, and then their mRNA and protein expression is quickly down-regulated (Akitaya and BronnerFraser, 1992;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995). The second group comprising cadherin-7 and -11 is continually expressed throughout neural crest cell migration (Kimura et al, 1995;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995;Hadeball et al, 1998;Vallin et al, 1998). Not surprisingly, overexpression of any of these four cell adhesion molecules in at least one of the above model organisms blocks neural crest migration Takeichi, 1995, 1998;Dufour et al, 1999;Borchers et al, 2001;Coles et al, 2007;Shoval et al, 2007).…”

Mechanisms driving neural crest induction and migration in the zebrafish andXenopus laevis

“…22,160 The predominant cadherin in the early Xenopus embryo is C-cadherin; 162 beginning in the late blastula an E-cadherin-like molecule is expressed in the developing epidermis and is absent from the developing neural plate. 163,164 Beginning at gastrulation, cadherin-11 is expressed in a Wnt-dependent manner; 165 later it is expressed in migrating neural crest cells, 166 together with the protocadherin PCNS 167 and N-cadherin. 168 Functional studies of cadherin-11 indicate that its overexpression, or the overexpression of a mutant polypeptide missing its cytoplasmic b-catenin binding domain, blocks cranial neural crest migration and leads to their neural differentiation.…”

Essential role of non-canonical Wnt signalling in neural crest migration

“…A number of molecules are known to participate in neural crest delamination and migration, such as cadherins, Rho GTPases, Noggin and several extracellular matrix molecules (Borchers et al, 2001;Bronner-Fraser et al, 1992;Henderson et al, 2000;Hoffmann and Balling, 1995;Kimura et al, 1995;Liu and Jessell, 1998;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1995;Nakagawa and Takeichi, 1998;Perris and Perissinotto, 2000;Pla et al, 2001;Sela-Donenfeld and Kalcheim, 1999;Sela-Donenfeld and Kalcheim, 2000;Takeichi et al, 2000;Vallin et al, 1998; Van de Putte et al, 2003;Yagi and Takeichi, 2000). However, the mechanisms by which extracellular signals are integrated with cell adhesion and cytoskeletal modification to orchestrate the cell movements underlying delamination and movement of the neural crest are still unclear.…”