During development, directed cell migration is crucial for achieving proper shape and function of organs. One well-studied example is the embryonic development of the larval tracheal system of Drosophila, in which at least four signaling pathways coordinate cell migration to form an elaborate branched network essential for oxygen delivery throughout the larva. FGF signaling is required for guided migration of all tracheal branches, whereas the DPP, EGF receptor, and Wingless/WNT signaling pathways each mediate the formation of specific subsets of branches. Here, we characterize ribbon, which encodes a BTB/POZ-containing protein required for specific tracheal branch migration. In ribbon mutant tracheae, the dorsal trunk fails to form, and ventral branches are stunted; however, directed migrations of the dorsal and visceral branches are largely unaffected. The dorsal trunk also fails to form when FGF or Wingless/WNT signaling is lost, and we show that ribbon functions downstream of, or parallel to, these pathways to promote anterior-posterior migration. Directed cell migration of the salivary gland and dorsal epidermis are also affected in ribbon mutants, suggesting that conserved mechanisms may be employed to orient cell migrations in multiple tissues during development.
Excitable Signal Transduction Networks in Directed Cell Migration