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Shape And Position Of The Node And Notochord Along The Bilateral Plane Of Symmetry Are Regulated By Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions., Maria Pulina, Dong Liang, Sophie Astrof

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

The node and notochord (and their equivalents in other species) are essential signaling centers, positioned along the plane of bilateral symmetry in developing vertebrate embryos. However, genes and mechanisms regulating morphogenesis of these structures and their placement along the embryonic midline are not well understood. In this work, we provide the first evidence that the position of the node and the notochord along the bilateral plane of symmetry are under genetic control and are regulated by integrin α5β1 and fibronectin in mice. We found that the shape of the node is often inverted in integrin α5-null and fibronectin-null mutants, and …