Integrin-α5 coordinates assembly of posterior cranial placodes in zebrafish and enhances Fgf-dependent regulation of otic/epibranchial cells.

ABSTRACT: Vertebrate sensory organs develop in part from cranial placodes, a series of ectodermal thickenings that coalesce from a common domain of preplacodal ectoderm. Mechanisms coordinating morphogenesis and differentiation of discrete placodes are still poorly understood. We have investigated whether placodal assembly in zebrafish requires Integrin- α5 (itga5), an extracellular matrix receptor initially expressed throughout the preplacodal ectoderm. Morpholino knockdown of itga5 had no detectable effect on anterior placodes (pituitary, nasal and lens), but posterior placodes developed abnormally, resulting in disorganization of trigeminal and epibranchial ganglia and reduction of the otic vesicle. Cell motion analysis in GFP-transgenic embryos showed that cell migration in itga5 morphants was h

SUBMITTER: Bhat N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3229493 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature