Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 335, Issue 1, 1 November 2009, Pages 132-142
Developmental Biology

Myosin-X is critical for migratory ability of Xenopus cranial neural crest cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.08.018Get rights and content
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Abstract

The neural crest is a highly migratory cell population, unique to vertebrates, that forms much of the craniofacial skeleton and peripheral nervous system. In exploring the cell biological basis underlying this behavior, we have identified an unconventional myosin, myosin-X (Myo10) that is required for neural crest migration. Myo10 is highly expressed in both premigratory and migrating cranial neural crest (CNC) cells in Xenopus embryos. Disrupting Myo10 expression using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides leads to impaired neural crest migration and subsequent cartilage formation, but only a slight delay in induction. In vivo grafting experiments reveal that Myo10-depleted CNC cells migrate a shorter distance and fail to segregate into distinct migratory streams. Finally, in vitro cultures and cell dissociation–reaggregation assays suggest that Myo10 may be critical for cell protrusion and cell–cell adhesion. These results demonstrate an essential role for Myo10 in normal cranial neural crest migration and suggest a link to cell–cell interactions and formation of processes.

Keywords

Myosin-X
Cranial neural crest
Migration
Adhesion

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