Filopodia-based Wnt transport during vertebrate tissue patterning

Eliana Stanganello, Anja I. H. Hagemann, Benjamin Mattes, Claude Sinner, Dana Meyen, Sabrina Weber, Alexander Schug, Erez Raz and Steffen Scholpp ()
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Eliana Stanganello: Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Anja I. H. Hagemann: Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Benjamin Mattes: Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Claude Sinner: Steinbuch Center for Computing (SCC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Dana Meyen: Institute of Cell biology, ZMBE, University of Münster
Sabrina Weber: Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Alexander Schug: Steinbuch Center for Computing (SCC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1
Erez Raz: Institute of Cell biology, ZMBE, University of Münster
Steffen Scholpp: Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Paracrine Wnt/β-catenin signalling is important during developmental processes, tissue regeneration and stem cell regulation. Wnt proteins are morphogens, which form concentration gradients across responsive tissues. Little is known about the transport mechanism for these lipid-modified signalling proteins in vertebrates. Here we show that Wnt8a is transported on actin-based filopodia to contact responding cells and activate signalling during neural plate formation in zebrafish. Cdc42/N-Wasp regulates the formation of these Wnt-positive filopodia. Enhanced formation of filopodia increases the effective signalling range of Wnt by facilitating spreading. Consistently, reduction in filopodia leads to a restricted distribution of the ligand and a limited signalling range. Using a simulation, we provide evidence that such a short-range transport system for Wnt has a long-range signalling function. Indeed, we show that a filopodia-based transport system for Wnt8a controls anteroposterior patterning of the neural plate during vertebrate gastrulation.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6846

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