Rho GTPases in Development

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Abstract
The rapidly expanding Rho family of evolutionarily conserved proteins corn-prise a subclass of the Ras superfamily of regulatory GTPases. Like their Ras relatives, the Rho GTPases cycle between conformationally distinct active and inactive states and thereby function as molecular switches that mediate signal transduction pathways in response to extracellular stimuli. Although the Rho family proteins have been implicated as important regulators of the actin cytoskeleton, their precise biological functions and the nature of their associated signaling pathways in vivo are only just beginning to be elucidated. In light of their ability to promote profound effects on cell morphology, it has been suggested that these proteins are likely to be critical regulators of the numerous morphogenetic events required of a developing multicellular organism. The development of most complex multicellular organisms procedes via a fundamentally similar mechanism. Following extensive cell proliferation, cell fates are specified, a body plan is established, and a variety of morphogenetic events take place that serve to elaborate the structure. This review will focus on published observations that support a role for the Rho family of proteins in these various morphogenetic processes required during development, with particular emphasis on recent studies conducted in genetically tractable organisms.