Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor promotes a switch from E- to N-cadherin in chick embryo epiblast cells

Epiblast cells downregulate E-cadherin and upregulate N-cadherin as they in gress through the primitive streak and when placed in culture. The factors that promote the alteration in cadherin expression during gastrulation are unknown. The effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on cadherin expression were tested in cultures of prestreak epiblast cells. H GF/SF decreased the expression of E-cadherin and increased the percentage o f cells with N-cadherin and sarcomeric myosin. Cells with N-cadherin but no t E-cadherin differentiated into skeletal muscle. HGF/SF also stimulated pr oliferation and the formation of cellular aggregates. Sensitivity to HGF/SF in vitro depended on the original position of cells within the epiblast. M ore cells from the lateral epiblast switched cadherins and proliferated in response to HGF/SF than medial epiblast cells. HGF/SF may affect gastrulati on by altering cadherin expression, modulating cell adhesion, and stimulati ng proliferation within the epiblast. (C) 1999 Academic Press.