The Drosophila Neuroblast Polarity Cycle at a Glance

Overview

Journal J Cell Sci

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2024 Mar 11

PMID 38465513

Authors

Rhiannon R Penkert

Bryce LaFoya

Lucille Moholt-Siebert

Elizabeth Vargas

Sarah E Welch

Kenneth E Prehoda

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Drosophila neural stem cells, or neuroblasts, rapidly proliferate during embryonic and larval development to populate the central nervous system. Neuroblasts divide asymmetrically to create cellular diversity, with each division producing one sibling cell that retains the neuroblast fate and another that differentiates into glia or neurons. This asymmetric outcome is mediated by the transient polarization of numerous factors to the cell cortex during mitosis. The powerful genetics and outstanding imaging tractability of the neuroblast make it an excellent model system for studying the mechanisms of cell polarity. This Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster explore the phases of the neuroblast polarity cycle and the regulatory circuits that control them. We discuss the key features of the cycle - the targeted recruitment of proteins to specific regions of the plasma membrane and multiple phases of highly dynamic actomyosin-dependent cortical flows that pattern both protein distribution and membrane structure.

Citing Articles

A PDZ-kinase allosteric relay mediates Par complex regulator exchange.

Vargas E, Penkert R, Prehoda K J Biol Chem. 2024; 301(2):108097.

PMID: 39706275 PMC: 11774777. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.108097.

Lgl resets Par complex membrane loading at mitotic exit to enable asymmetric neural stem cell division.

LaFoya B, Welch S, Prehoda K bioRxiv. 2024; .

PMID: 39677723 PMC: 11642762. DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.29.615680.

A PDZ-kinase allosteric relay mediates Par complex regulator exchange.

Vargas E, Penkert R, Prehoda K bioRxiv. 2024; .

PMID: 39464081 PMC: 11507878. DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.18.619144.

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