Global analysis of cell behavior and protein localization dynamics reveals region-specific functions for Shroom3 and N-cadherin during neural tube closure

Failures of neural tube closure are common and serious birth defects, yet
we have a poor understanding of the interaction of genetics and cell
biology during neural tube closure. Additionally, mutations that cause
neural tube defects (NTDs) tend to affect anterior or posterior regions of
the neural tube but rarely both, indicating a regional specificity to NTD
genetics. To better understand the regional specificity of cell behaviors
during neural tube closure, we analyzed the dynamic localization of actin
and N-cadherin via high-resolution tissue-level time-lapse microscopy
during Xenopus neural tube closure. To investigate the regionality of gene
function, we generated mosaic mutations in shroom3, a key regulator or
neural tube closure This approach elucidates new differences between cell
behaviors during cranial/anterior and spinal/posterior neural tube
closure, provides mechanistic insight into the function of shroom3 and
demonstrates the ability of tissue-level imaging and analysis to generate
cell-biological mechanistic insights into neural tube closure.