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Control of gap junctions by Wingless

Gap junctions allow communication between neighbouring cells by providing channels through which ions and small molecules can pass. In invertebrates, the junctions are built up of innexins, which are analogous to vertebrate connexins and are required for efficient electrical signal transmission. Michael Hoch and co-workers have examined the importance of gap junctions during Drosophila development by generating flies that lack innexin 2 (see p. 1859). They find that the mutants display a feeding defect caused by failure of epithelial cells to migrate correctly during formation of an organ called the proventriculus. This process is part of the regionalization of the foregut tube controlled by Wingless and Hedgehog - secreted signalling molecules that direct a variety of developmental processes. The authors show genetically that Wingless regulates expression of innexin 2 in proventricular cells and demonstrate that the Wingless pathway stimulates innexin 2 expression in tissue culture. They conclude that regulation of innexin 2 expression by Wingless controls proventricular morphogenesis, suggesting that gap junctional communication is important for migration of epithelial cells during this aspect of gut development.

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The Drosophila gap junction channel gene innexin 2 controls foregut development in response to Wingless signalling

Reinhard Bauer, Corinna Lehmann, Bernhard Fuss, Franka Eckardt, and Michael Hoch
JCS 2002 115: 1859-1867. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JCS Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?