Mechanisms of asymmetric cell divisions in Drosophila melanogaster neuroblasts

Authors

  • X Jiang State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
  • C Tang State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
  • H Gao State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
  • H Cui State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China

Keywords:

asymmetric cell divisions, cell fate determinants, neuroblasts, Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Stem cells possess the properties of self-renewal and differentiation, and mainly rely on two
strategies for division, including symmetric and asymmetric cell divisions. In this review, we summarize the latest progress on asymmetric cell divisions in Drosophila melanogaster neuroblasts (NBs), which focus on the establishment of cell polarity, mitotic spindle orientation, the asymmetric segregation of cell fate determinants as well as cell-cycle control. Here we also introduce five major cell fate determinants, including Numb, Prospero, Brat, Miranda, and Pon, which are thought to be unequally segregated to the ganglion mother cells (GMCs) and play an important role in the formation of stem cell-derived tumors.

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Published

2014-04-04

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Minireview