Guidance of cell migration by the Drosophila PDGF/VEGF receptor

Cell. 2001 Oct 5;107(1):17-26. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(01)00502-5.

Abstract

Directed cell migrations are important for development, but the signaling pathways and mechanisms responsible for guiding cell migration in vivo are poorly understood. Migration of border cells during Drosophila oogenesis is a simple and attractive model system in which to address these questions. We demonstrate that PVR, a receptor tyrosine kinase related to mammalian PDGF and VEGF receptors, acts in border cells to guide them to the oocyte. The oocyte is the source of a ligand for PVR, PDGF/VEGF factor 1 (PVF1). Intriguingly, the guidance function of PVR is largely redundant with that of EGFR. We present evidence implicating Rac and the Rac activator Mbc/DOCK180/CED-5 as mediators of the guidance signal.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / cytology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
  • Egg Proteins / chemistry
  • Egg Proteins / genetics
  • Egg Proteins / metabolism*
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Ligands
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oocytes / cytology
  • Oocytes / physiology*
  • Oogenesis / physiology
  • Ovary / metabolism
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Actins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Egg Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Pvf1 protein, Drosophila
  • Receptors, Growth Factor
  • mbc protein, Drosophila
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Pvr protein, Drosophila
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins