Journal article
The Role of Netrins and Their Receptors in Epithelial Mesenchymal Plasticity during Development
Michael J Murray
CELLS TISSUES ORGANS | KARGER | Published : 2017
DOI: 10.1159/000447424
Abstract
Transitions between mesenchymal and epithelial cells are underpinned by changes in motility, adhesion, and polarity. Netrins and their receptors can control each of these cellular properties, and are emerging as important regulators of epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). Netrins were first identified in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans as secreted chemoattractants/repellents that could guide migrating mesodermal cells and axonal growth cones. Orthologues were subsequently found to play conserved roles in vertebrates and in the vinegar fly Drosophila. In the years that have followed it has become clear that, in addition to chemotaxis, netrin pathways have a number of other biological role..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges support from the School of Biosciences at the University of Melbourne and the National Health and Medical Research Council, and thanks S. Golenkina and J. Stott for critical reading of the manuscript.