Graded positional information: interpretation for both fate and guidance.

Osterfield, Miriam; Kirschner, Marc W; Flanagan, John G · Cell · 2003

review · Level V

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Abstract

Recent evidence indicates that gradients of the same extracellular molecules can act as both morphogens, specifying cell differentiation, and guidance cues, directing axon movement. We discuss how cells may use common mechanisms to convert graded information into discrete responses; and how extracellular signals provide coordinate systems that can be linked to highly diverse cellular outputs.

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