Celsr1–3 Cadherins in PCP and Brain Development - Current Topics in Developmental Biology - page 159

CHAPTER SEVEN

Celsr1 - 3 Cadherins in PCP and
Brain Development

Camille Boutin, André M. Goffinet 1 , Fadel Tissir 1
Institute of Neuroscience, Developmental Neurobiology, Universit´ Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
1 Corresponding authors: Equal contribution. e-mail address: [e-mail]; andre.
[e-mail]

Contents
1. Celsr1 - 3 Expression Patterns

164

2. Celsr1: A Major Player in Vertebrate PCP 165

3. Celsr2 and 3 in Ciliogenesis 169

4. Celsr1 - 3 in Neuronal Migration 171

5. Celsr2 and Celsr3 in Brain Wiring 174

5.1 Motifs of Celsr important for their functions 176

References 179

Abstract
Cadherin EGF LAG seven-pass G-type receptors 1, 2, and 3 (Celsr1 - 3) form a family of
three atypical cadherins with multiple functions in epithelia and in the nervous system.
During the past decade, evidence has accumulated for important and distinct roles of
Celsr1 - 3 in planar cell polarity (PCP) and brain development and maintenance.
Although the role of Celsr in PCP is conserved from flies to mammals, other functions
may be more distantly related, with Celsr working only with one or a subset of the
classical PCP partners. Here, we review the literature on Celsr in PCP and neural devel-
opment, point to several remaining questions, and consider future challenges and
possible research trends.

Celsr1 - 3 genes encode atypical cadherins of more than 3000 amino acids
( Fig. 7.1 ). Their large ectodomain is composed of nine N-terminal cadherin
repeats (typical cadherins have five repeats), six epidermal growth factor
(EGF)-like domains, two laminin G repeats, one hormone receptor motif
(HRM), and a G-protein-coupled receptor proteolytic site (GPS). This is
followed by seven transmembrane domains (classic cadherins are single-pass
type I proteins) and a cytoplasmic tail (CT) that varies in size and, in contrast
to the ectodomain, is poorly conserved among the three members. Celsr1-3
belong to the “adhesion receptor” family of G-protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs), also referred to as long N-terminal group B (LNB) GPCRs.