Establishing functional giant Dictyostelium cells reveals front-rear polarity in intracellular signaling.

ABSTRACT: Intracellular signaling dynamics are often obscured by the spatial and temporal limitations of cell size. Here, we developed a method to enlarge Dictyostelium discoideum cells by partial cytokinesis inhibition, generating multinucleated yet functional giant cells. These cells retained chemotactic signaling, polarity, and motility, enabling high-resolution live-cell imaging. Using fluorescent probes for cAMP and Ca²⁺, we uncovered a directional, front-to-rear propagation of cAMP signaling and a biphasic Ca²⁺ response coordinated with actin wave dynamics. Grid-based mapping revealed asymmetric cAMP synthesis and decay kinetics, and vesicle localization suggested spatially regulated cAMP secretion. Our findings demonstrate that intracellular signaling involves self-organ

SUBMITTER: Hayashida Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12824319 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature