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Cell polarity is the asymmetric organisation of several cellular components, including its plasma membrane, cytoskeleton or organelles. This asymmetry can be used for specialised functions, such as maintaining a barrier within an epithelium or transmitting signals in neurons.
Exiting germinal zones (GZ) is key for neuronal maturation, but how cells integrate external and internal cues to achieve it is unclear. Here, the authors show that cell polarity integrates adhesion and Netrin-1 signaling, driving neuron repulsion and GZ exit.
Combining structural, biochemical, cellular and in vivo assays, the authors uncover the mechanism for capture and multisite phosphorylation of lethal (2) giant larvae by the atypical protein kinase C and partitioning-defective protein 6, revealing the basis for their mutual antagonism underpinning cell polarity.
The authors present a cryo-EM structure of human planar cell polarity core protein Vangl1, revealing a dimer-of-trimers architecture, clarifying how Vangl1 may interact with effector proteins to mediate PCP signaling and potential pathological mechanisms for human disease-related mutations.
The authors present cryo-electron structures of human VANGL1, VANGL2 and their complexes with PK1, unveiling the molecular underpinnings of the VANGL-PK interaction and paving the way for future investigations into the planar cell polarity pathway
Tools to determine the spatial distribution of components and their networks inside cells are not well developed. Here, authors provide the open-source 3D-cell-image analysis platform Cell Detection and Analysis of Intensity Lounge (CellDetail) for quantitative distribution analyses.
Tunnelling nanotubes, which are actin-based protrusions different from filopodia and cytokinetic bridges, connect cells in the zebrafish embryo, enabling the transport of proteins and organelles.
Ahna Skop and Karen Schindler describe a paper that found localized translation in mammalian embryos, demonstrating the importance of RNA transport for development.
In this Tools of the Trade article, Isomursu (Ivaska lab) describes a new method for dynamic micropatterning, which enables investigation of cell adhesion and migration on substrates that mimic different extracellular matrix environments.
Lipids have a pivotal role in the growth of oocytes and fertilized eggs. Ultra-sensitive lipidome analysis provides a complete overview of the lipid profile during early embryonic development and brings insights into how dynamic lipid remodelling determines the fate of mammalian embryos.
In this Tools of the Trade article, Sarah Paramore (from the Devenport and Nelson labs) discusses the use of mouse strains carrying genomic alterations in PCP genes and how they can increase our understanding of mammalian planar cell polarity.
An algorithm is presented for the simulation of reaction–diffusion systems on complex geometries, providing insight on how the interplay of cell geometry and biochemistry can control polarity in living cells.
