Epithelia are composed of cells that are polarised locally (e.g. apico-basolateral axis establishment at the cellular level) and globally (e.g. coordination of axes across the tissue). Although polarity proteins are widely conserved, the mechanisms behind these programs are complex. Jessica Feldman and colleagues now investigate how polarity is established in the Caenorhabditis elegans intestinal epithelium. Using tissue-specific depletion and live imaging of endogenously tagged polarity proteins, the authors show that the apical surface is established first locally and then globally. Later, basolateral polarity proteins are gradually restricted to basolateral surfaces. They show that the apical polarity proteins PAR-3 and PKC-3 play different roles in polarisation. PKC-3 is dispensable for the establishment of apico-basolateral polarity but is required to maintain a continuous apical surface. Conversely, PAR-3 is necessary for global polarity establishment, but aspects of local polarity are eventually established in PAR-3-depleted intestines, indicated by the correct relative organisation of apical and basolateral proteins. Furthermore, local polarity in PAR-3-deficient intestines depends on HMR-1, the homolog of the adhesion protein E-cadherin. Together, these data show that the mechanisms involved in global and local polarity can be uncoupled, as PAR-3 is required for establishing global polarity but aspects of local polarity eventually arise without PAR-3.
Getting to the bottom of polarity: local versus global
- Split-screen
- Views Icon Views
-
Article Versions Icon
Versions
- Version of Record 16 November 2022
- Share Icon Share
-
Tools Icon
Tools
- Search Site
Getting to the bottom of polarity: local versus global. Development 15 November 2022; 149 (22): e149_e2201. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
About us

Our publisher, The Company of Biologists, turns 100 this year. Read about the history of the Company and find out what Sarah Bray, our Chair of the Board of Directors, has to say.
Biologists @ 100 - join us in Liverpool in March 2025

We are excited to invite you to a unique scientific conference, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of The Company of Biologists, and bringing together our different communities. The conference will incorporate the Spring Meetings of the BSCB and the BSDB, the JEB Symposium Sensory Perception in a Changing World and a DMM programme on antimicrobial resistance. Find out more and register by 28 February 2025 to join us in March 2025 in Liverpool, UK.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues

Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 15 May 2025.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology

In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
In preprints
Did you know that Development publishes perspectives on recent preprints? These articles help our readers navigate the ever-growing preprint literature. We welcome proposals for ‘In preprints’ articles, so please do get in touch if you’d like to contribute.