Abstract
Epithelial cells and other groups of cells acquire a polarity orthogonal to their apical-basal axes, referred to as Planar Cell Polarity (PCP). The process by which these cells become polarized requires a signaling pathway using Frizzled as a receptor. Responding cells sense cues from their environment that provide directional information, and they translate this information into cellular asymmetry. Most of what is known about PCP derives from studies in the fruit fly, Drosophila. We review what is known about how cells translate an unknown signal into asymmetric cytoskeletal reorganization. We then discuss how the vertebrate processes of convergent extension and cochlear hair-cell development may relate to Drosophila PCP signaling.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cell Polarity / genetics
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Cell Polarity / physiology*
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Cytoskeleton / physiology
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Drosophila / cytology
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Drosophila / genetics
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Drosophila / growth & development
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / physiology
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Frizzled Receptors
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / physiology
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Models, Biological
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Morphogenesis / genetics
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Morphogenesis / physiology*
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Mutation
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / physiology
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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Signal Transduction / genetics
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Signal Transduction / physiology*
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Wnt Proteins
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Zebrafish Proteins*
Substances
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Drosophila Proteins
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Frizzled Receptors
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Membrane Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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Wnt Proteins
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Zebrafish Proteins
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fz protein, Drosophila