A cell type-specific effect of calcium on pattern formation and differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum

Baskar, Ramamurthy and Chhabra, Preeti and Mascarenhas, Priya and Nanjundiah, Vidyanand (2000) A cell type-specific effect of calcium on pattern formation and differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum. In: International Journal of Developmental Biology, 44 (5). pp. 491-498.

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Abstract

Spatial gradients of sequestered and free cellular calcium ($Ca^{2+}$) exist in the slug of Dictyostelium discoideum (Maeda and Maeda, 1973; Tirlapur et al., 1991; Azhar et al., 1995; Cubitt et al., 1995). When we vary intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ with the help of calcium buffers and the ionophore Br-A23187, there are striking effects on slug morphology, patterning and cell differentiation. In the presence of a calcium ionophore, high external $Ca^{2+}$ levels lead to an increase of intracellular sequestered and free $Ca^{2+}$, the formation of long slugs, a decrease in the fraction of genetically defined prespore cells and 'stalky' fruiting bodies. Conversely, a lowering of external $Ca^{2+}$ levels results in a decrease of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, the formation of short slugs, an increase in the prespore fraction and 'spory' fruiting bodies. We infer that $Ca^{2+}$ plays a significant morphogenetic role in D. discoideum development, by selectively promoting the prestalk pathway relative to the prespore pathway.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	International Journal of Developmental Biology
Publisher:	UBC Press
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to UBC Press.
Keywords:	Development;Differentiation;Pattern formation;Calcium
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Molecular Reproduction, Development & Genetics
Date Deposited:	23 Oct 2007
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 04:40
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/12164

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