Technau U, Cramer von Laue C, Rentzsch F, Luft S, Hobmayer B, Bode H R, Holstein T W
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Darmstadt University of Technology, Schnittspahnstr. 10, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Oct 24;97(22):12127-31. doi: 10.1073/pnas.97.22.12127.
Self-organization has been demonstrated in a variety of systems ranging from chemical-molecular to ecosystem levels, and evidence is accumulating that it is also fundamental for animal development. Yet, self-organization can be approached experimentally in only a few animal systems. Cells isolated from the simple metazoan Hydra can aggregate and form a complete animal by self-organization. By using this experimental system, we found that clusters of 5-15 epithelial cells are necessary and sufficient to form de novo head-organizing centers in an aggregate. Such organizers presumably arise by a community effect from a small number of cells that express the conserved HyBra1 and HyWnt genes. These local sources then act to pattern and instruct the surrounding cells as well as generate a field of lateral inhibition that ranges up to 1,000 microm. We propose that conserved patterning systems in higher animals originate from extremely robust and flexible molecular self-organizing systems that were selected for during early metazoan evolution.
自组织现象已在从化学分子水平到生态系统水平的各种系统中得到证实，并且越来越多的证据表明，它对动物发育也至关重要。然而，只有少数动物系统能够通过实验来研究自组织现象。从简单的后生动物水螅中分离出的细胞可以通过自组织聚集并形成完整的动物。通过使用这个实验系统，我们发现5到15个上皮细胞的簇对于在聚集体中从头形成头部组织中心是必要且充分的。这种组织者可能是由少数表达保守的HyBra1和HyWnt基因的细胞产生的群体效应所导致的。这些局部来源随后作用于对周围细胞进行模式化和指导，并产生一个范围达1000微米的侧向抑制场。我们提出，高等动物中保守的模式化系统起源于在早期后生动物进化过程中被选择的极其强大且灵活的分子自组织系统。
