Phosphoinositides Specify Polarity during Epithelial Organ Development

• Published in: Cell Vol. 128; no. 2; pp. 239 - 240
• Main Authors: Comer, Frank I., Parent, Carole A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 26-01-2007
• Subjects: Animals; cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein - metabolism; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Polarity - physiology; Epithelium - embryology; Epithelium - metabolism; Epithelium - ultrastructure; Humans; Organogenesis - physiology; Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates - metabolism; Phosphatidylinositols - metabolism; Protein Kinase C - metabolism; PTEN Phosphohydrolase - metabolism; Signal Transduction - physiology
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.01.010

The molecular mechanisms that integrate cellular polarity with tissue architecture during epithelial morphogenesis are poorly understood. Using a three-dimensional model of epithelial morphogenesis,
Martin-Belmonte et al. (2007) report that the phosphatase PTEN and phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P
2] regulate the GTPase Cdc42 and the kinase aPKC to generate the apical plasma membrane domain and maintain apical-basolateral polarity.