Review

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 9, 846-859 (November 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrm2521

Focus on: Cell polarity

Crosstalk between small GTPases and polarity proteins in cell polarization

Sandra Iden1 & John G. Collard1  About the authors

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Cell polarization is crucial for the development of multicellular organisms, and aberrant cell polarization contributes to various diseases, including cancer. How cell polarity is established and how it is maintained remain fascinating questions. Conserved proteins of the partitioning defective (PAR), Scribble and Crumbs complexes guide the establishment of cell polarity in various organisms. Moreover, GTPases that regulate actin cytoskeletal dynamics have been implicated in cell polarization. Recent findings provide insights into polarization mechanisms and show intriguing crosstalk between small GTPases and members of polarity complexes in regulating cell polarization in different cellular contexts and cell types.

Author affiliations

  1. Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
    Email: j.collard@nki.nl; Email: s.iden@nki.nl

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