Introduction (before you read this paper)
Cell fates can be determined by signals produced from other cells. During development, signal from a cell can induce not only a single cell species but also multiple cell types in the surrounding tissue. Such processes are essential to pattern tissues with multiple cell types. I will discuss several distinct mechanisms that pattern tissues by a single signal using a model system: the development of the vulva in C. elegans. The vulva is produced from the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) that adopt one of the three cell fates (1°, 2° and 3°), which can be distinguished using their distinct cell division patterns. A signal from a cell called the anchor cell (AC) induces these cell fates in equivalent VPCs. As described in Figure 3, several distinct models can be considered to explain the phenomenon.

Starting from this paper, I will discuss how such models have been examined. Before attending the class, I hope you will read at least the Introduction of the paper, and think how you can experimentally test the models described in Figure 3.

発生において、個々の細胞の運命が細胞外からのシグナルによって制御されていることはよく見られます。組織構築に必要な複数の細胞運命が、一つのシグナルによって制御されている場合、その機構として、どのような可能性があるでしょうか？線虫の陰門の発生において、アンカー(AC)細胞からのシグナルによって、3種類の細胞運命 (1°, 2° and 3°)が決定されます。当該論文を手始めに、この現象を説明するいくつかのモデルがどのように検証されていったのか議論します。論文のイントロダクションを読んで、Figure3に記載されているモデルをどのような実験で調べればいいのか、事前に考えることを推奨します。