Regulators of migration in Xenopus cranial neural crest cells

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The cranial neural crest cells (CNC) shape the face of vertebrates. They possess two exceptional properties: pluripotency and motility. These pluripotent cells differentiate to melanocytes, nerves and ganglia, cartilage and bones. They differentiate stepwise while migrating dorsolaterally on defined routes. During this process the microenvironment of the migration route decides about the cell fate. Growth factors, chemokines and adhesion factors build up the specific microenvironment for the migrating CNC. While induction and emigration of CNC are well characterized processes little is known about molecules, which navigate CNC on specific routes to their final destination. Furthermore, it is a still unsolved question whether these navigators simultaneously regulate the terminal differentiation of CNC. This study aims to identify factors that control migration of CNC by performing a gene expression screen of Twist-dependent regulators and by functional analyses of putative candidate genes. In addition, the role of protocadherin PCNS in relation to Wnt-5a/Ror2 signalling is investigated. These studies are important from clinical views because some of the CNC specific genes like snail and cadherin-11 are upregulated in metastatic tumors and mutations of others like Twist and kit lead to serious congenital disorders.