Cell migration is an important process for organogenesis. How
are migrating cells positionally guided and temporally coordinated during this
process? We investigate the molecular mechanisms of cell migration with special
emphasis on interactions between basement membranes. In the nematode C.
elegans, the gonadal distal tip cells (DTCs) migrate during larval
development to lead morphogenesis of the U-shaped gonad. The migration of DTCs
is coupled with the elongation of gonadal tubes and requires an appropriate
interaction between the gonadal and body wall basement membranes. To understand
the molecules involved in the directional migration of DTCs, we are isolating
and analyzing mutations affecting gonad morphogenesis. One of these genes,
mig-17, was found to encode a novel metalloprotease localized on the
gonadal basement membrane, suggesting that the proteolytic remodeling of
basement membranes is important for guided migration of DTCs.
