Transdetermination in Drosophila imaginal discs: a model for understanding pluripotency and selector gene maintenance

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2003 Oct;13(5):472-9. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2003.08.006.

Abstract

Drosophila imaginal disc cells have the ability to undergo transdetermination, a process whereby determined disc cells change fate to that of another disc identity. For example, leg disc cells can transdetermine to develop as wing cells. Such events can occur after mechanical disc fragmentation and subsequent regeneration. A subset of transdetermination events can be induced in situ by misexpression of the signaling gene wingless. Both fragmentation and wingless induce transdetermination by altering the expression of selector genes, which drive disc-specific developmental programs. An important future goal is to address how signaling pathways interact with chromatin structure to regulate and maintain the proper expression of selector genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Chromatin / physiology
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / physiology
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila / growth & development*
  • Drosophila / physiology
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Wnt1 Protein

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • wg protein, Drosophila