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WormBase Tree Display for WBProcess: WBbiopr:00000020

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Name Class

WBbiopr:00000020Public_nameVulval development
SummaryThe C. elegans vulva connects the hermaphrodite uterus to the outside of the nematode. The development of this organ is an intensively studied biological process making it a useful model for animal organogenesis. C. elegans vulval development involves the temporal and spatial coordination of intercellular signaling, evolutionarily conserved signal transduction pathways, and transcriptional regulation. Among the pathways involved in vulval development are the WNT, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and LIN-12/NOTCH signaling pathways. These pathways work in temporal succession to prime epidermal cells to first be competent to take on vulva cell fates and later to solidify their vulval cell specification. These pathways also work antagonistically to specify the precise pattern of cell fates needed to form the vulva. A key cell in vulval development is the anchor cell. Signals from this cell initiate the transition from epidermal to vulval precursor cell. This cell also influences the specification of surrounding uterine cells, which is required to connect the uterus to the vulva. The development of the final vulval organ requires the anchor cell to invade between terminally differentiated vulval cells in a behavior analogous to that of metastatic tumor cells.
Related_topicSpecialisation_ofWBbiopr:00000034
Generalisation_ofWBbiopr:00000073
WBbiopr:00000070
WBbiopr:00000072
Involved_entityGene (17)
Expression_cluster[cgc5376]:let-60(G12V)-regulated_genesPaper_evidenceWBPaper00005376
Interaction (134)
Anatomy_term (22)
Life_stageWBls:0000024Paper_evidenceWBPaper00027316
WBls:0000027Paper_evidenceWBPaper00027316
Associated_withPhenotype (12)
GO_termGO:0040025
GO:0072325
GO:0072326
GO:0072327
GO:0040028
GO:0040026
GO:0040027
PictureWBPicture0000012992
WBPicture0000013092
PathwayDB_infoDatabaseWikiPathwaysPathwayWP1453
WP2221
WP2569
Remark"WikiPathways" "Pathway" "WP1453" | "WikiPathways" "Pathway" "WP2221"
Reference (12)