Apical-basal polarity in Drosophila neuroblasts is independent of vesicular trafficking.

ABSTRACT: The possession of apical-basal polarity is a common feature of epithelia and neural stem cells, so-called neuroblasts (NBs). In Drosophila, an evolutionarily conserved protein complex consisting of atypical protein kinase C and the scaffolding proteins Bazooka/PAR-3 and PAR-6 controls the polarity of both cell types. The components of this complex localize to the apical junctional region of epithelial cells and form an apical crescent in NBs. In epithelia, the PAR proteins interact with the cellular machinery for polarized exocytosis and endocytosis, both of which are essential for the establishment of plasma membrane polarity. In NBs, many cortical proteins show a strongly polarized subcellular localization, but there is little evidence for the existence of distinct apical and basolateral

SUBMITTER: Halbsgut N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3216662 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature