Characterization of cell adhesion dynamics during neural crest migration

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Annette Borchers, since 2/2016; Professor Dr. Fred Wolf, since 7/2016
• Subject Area: Developmental Biology
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 200509276

Cranial neural crest cells (CNC) migrate as a cohesive cell sheet, which progressively dissociates into small cell clusters and individual cells. The coordinated transition from cohesive to individual cell mi-gration at the leading edge of the cell sheet requires precise modulation of cell-cell contacts. Cad-herin-11, N-cadherin and PCNS are co-expressed in Xenopus CNC and participate in regulating cell-cell adhesion, cell protrusion formation and cell inhibition locomotion (CIL). However, the precise contribution of individual and collaborative cadherin function in regulating the dynamics of cell contact formation is still unknown. We will address this question by investigating CNC migration after manipulation of the cadherin content by knock-down of single cadherins and expression of cadherin mutants. Furthermore, biophysical techniques will be applied to quantify adhesion strengths of individual cells and motility changes of cell sheets. New insights in the regulation of cell contact dynamics and adhesion strength at different positions within the migrating cell sheet are expected.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 1756: Functional Dynamics of Cell Contacts in Cellular Assemblies and Migratory Cells
• Ehemalige Antragsteller: Dr. Clemens Franz, until 7/2016; Dr. Jubin Kashef, until 1/2016