Stage-specific transcriptomics of a leader cell reveals cell machineries driving collective invasion - PubMed
2 hours ago
- #collective cell invasion
- #leader cell transcriptomics
- #C. elegans DTC
- Collective cell invasion is crucial for organ development, epithelial repair, and cancer metastasis.
- Leader cells perform key functions like ECM remodeling, guidance cue sensing, cytoskeleton reorganization, and coordination of follower cells.
- The study presents a stage-specific transcriptomic dataset of the C. elegans gonadal leader cell (DTC) to define the molecular signature of an invading leader cell in vivo.
- The dataset identifies known regulators of gonad morphogenesis and reveals uncharacterized genes potentially involved in leader cell activity.
- Vesicular trafficking proteins enriched in invading DTCs are shown to be important for gonad development through endogenous tagging and DTC-specific RNAi.
- The study provides a molecular framework for leader cell activity and a platform to explore conserved invasive migration mechanisms.