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N-cadherin stabilises neural identity by dampening anti-neural signals

Punovuori K, Migueles RP, Malaguti M, Blin G, Macleod KG, Carragher NO, Pieters T, van Roy F, Stemmler M, Lowell S (2019)

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Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Book Volume: 146

Journal Issue: 21

DOI: 10.1242/dev.183269

Abstract

A switch from E- to N-cadherin regulates the transition from pluripotency to neural identity, but the mechanism by which cadherins regulate differentiation was previously unknown. Here, we show that the acquisition of N-cadherin stabilises neural identity by dampening anti-neural signals. We use quantitative image analysis to show that N-cadherin promotes neural differentiation independently of its effects on cell cohesiveness. We reveal that cadherin switching diminishes the level of nuclear β-catenin, and that N-cadherin also dampens FGF activity and consequently stabilises neural fate. Finally, we compare the timing of cadherin switching and differentiation in vivo and in vitro, and find that this process becomes dysregulated during in vitro differentiation. We propose that N-cadherin helps to propagate a stable neural identity throughout the emerging neuroepithelium, and that dysregulation of this process contributes to asynchronous differentiation in culture.

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APA:

Punovuori, K., Migueles, R.P., Malaguti, M., Blin, G., Macleod, K.G., Carragher, N.O.,... Lowell, S. (2019). N-cadherin stabilises neural identity by dampening anti-neural signals. Development, 146(21). https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.183269

MLA:

Punovuori, Karolina, et al. "N-cadherin stabilises neural identity by dampening anti-neural signals." Development 146.21 (2019).

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