INVOLVEMENT OF LIVERTINE, A HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR FAMILY MEMBER, IN NEURAL MORPHOGENESIS

The formation of the nervous system in vertebrate embryos involves ext ensive morphogenetic movements that include the folding of the neural tube and the migration of neural crest cells. Changes in cell shape an d cell movements underlie neural morphogenesis but the molecular mecha nisms involved in these processes in vivo are not well understood. Her e, we show that a new member of the hepatocyte growth factor family, w hich we name Livertine, is expressed in frog embryos in neural cells i ncluding neural crest and midline neural plate cells which are undergo ing pronounced morphogenetic movements. The ectopic expression of Live rtine perturbs gastrulation and leads to positional changes in injecte d cells without apparently changing cell type. These results suggest t hat one of the normal functions of Livertine is the control of neural morphogenesis in the vertebrate embryo.