Planar cell polarity

Abstract

The Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway plays a critical role in wing, eye, neural tube defects, and sensory bristle development of Drosophila and vertebrate development. Recently, the Wnt/PCP path-way has been known to regulate convergent extension (CE) movements that are essential for establishing the three germ layers and body axis during early vertebrate development. Here, we describe detailed prac-tical procedures required for the particular studies in Xenopus CE movements Key words: Convergent extension (CE) movements , Planar cell polarity (PCP) , Wnt pathway , Xenopus development Morphogenetic movements in gastrulation are critical for establishing basic germ layers and the body axis during early vertebrate development. The major driving forces for this process include convergent extension (CE) movements, by which cells polarize and elongate along the mediolateral axis and intercalate toward the midline (convergence), leading to extension of the tissue along the anterior/posterior axis (1, 2) . Although the precise molecular mechanisms of CE movements are not clearly understood, the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway is known to be important in the control of CE movements (3, 4) . The Wnt/PCP pathway is initiated by binding of the Wnt ligand Wnt11 to the Wnt receptor Frizzled 7 (Fz7) on the surface of target cells. In turn, activated Fz, a seven transmembrane domain