Fine-tuning of Fgf8 morphogen gradient by heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix.

ABSTRACT: Embryonic development is orchestrated by the action of morphogens, which spread out from a local source and activate, in a field of target cells, different cellular programs based on their concentration gradient. Fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) is a morphogen with important functions in embryonic organizing centers. It forms a gradient in the extracellular space by free diffusion, interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM), and receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, morphogen gradient regulation by ECM is still poorly understood. Here, we show that specific heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) bind Fgf8 with different affinities directly in the ECM of living zebrafish embryos, thus affecting its diffusion and signaling. Using single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy,

SUBMITTER: Gupta M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11947464 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature