Non-neuronal cell outgrowth in C. elegans

ABSTRACT

Cell outgrowth is a hallmark of some non-migratory developing cells during morphogenesis. Understanding the mechanisms that control cell outgrowth not only increases our knowledge of tissue and organ development, but can also shed light on disease pathologies that exhibit outgrowth-like behavior. C. elegans is a highly useful model for the analysis of genes and the function of their respective proteins. In addition, C. elegans also has several cells and tissues that undergo outgrowth during development. Here we discuss the outgrowth mechanisms of nine different C. elegans cells and tissues. We specifically focus on how these cells and tissues grow outward and the interactions they make with their environment. Through our own identification, and a meta-analysis, we also identify gene families involved in multiple cell outgrowth processes, which defined potential C. elegans core components of cell outgrowth, as well as identify a potential stepwise cell behavioral cascade used by cells undergoing outgrowth.

Keywords:

• cell outgrowth
• genetic analysis
• gonad development
• postembryonic development

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgments

We thank Mihoko Kato and reviewers for critical reading of the manuscript. P.W.S. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Funding

S.G. was supported by National Institutes of Health training grant GM07616. S. V. was supported by the American Society of Cell Biology Minorities Affairs Committee Visiting Professor's Program, which was funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant number 047101.