Opposing effects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling on epithelial and mesenchymal cell fate in the developing cochlea.

ABSTRACT: During embryonic development, the otic epithelium and surrounding periotic mesenchymal cells originate from distinct lineages and coordinate to form the mammalian cochlea. Epithelial sensory precursors within the cochlear duct first undergo terminal mitosis before differentiating into sensory and non-sensory cells. In parallel, periotic mesenchymal cells differentiate to shape the lateral wall, modiolus and pericochlear spaces. Previously, Wnt activation was shown to promote proliferation and differentiation of both otic epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Here, we fate-mapped Wnt-responsive epithelial and mesenchymal cells in mice and found that Wnt activation resulted in opposing cell fates. In the post-mitotic cochlear epithelium, Wnt activation via β-catenin stabilization induced cluster

SUBMITTER: Billings SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8217710 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature