TY - JOUR TI - Cytoneme-mediated cell-cell contacts for Hedgehog reception AU - González-Méndez, Laura AU - Seijo-Barandiarán, Irene AU - Guerrero, Isabel A2 - Edgar, Bruce VL - 6 PY - 2017 DA - 2017/08/21 SP - e24045 C1 - eLife 2017;6:e24045 DO - 10.7554/eLife.24045 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24045 AB - Morphogens regulate tissue patterning through their distribution in concentration gradients. Emerging research establishes a role for specialized signalling filopodia, or cytonemes, in morphogen dispersion and signalling. Previously we demonstrated that Hedgehog (Hh) morphogen is transported via vesicles along cytonemes emanating from signal-producing cells to form a gradient in Drosophila epithelia. However, the mechanisms for signal reception and transfer are still undefined. Here, we demonstrate that cytonemes protruding from Hh-receiving cells contribute to Hh gradient formation. The canonical Hh receptor Patched is localized in these cellular protrusions and Hh reception takes place in membrane contact sites between Hh-sending and Hh-receiving cytonemes. These two sets of cytonemes have similar dynamics and both fall in two different dynamic behaviours. Furthermore, both the Hh co-receptor Interference hedgehog (Ihog) and the glypicans are critical for this cell-cell cytoneme mediated interaction. These findings suggest that the described contact sites might facilitate morphogen presentation and reception. KW - Hedgehog signaling KW - morphogen gradient KW - cytonemes JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -