Claudins are essential for cell shape changes and convergent extension movements during neural tube closure

•Simultaneous removal of Cldn3, −4 and −8 causes open neural tube defects.•Folic acid cannot rescue open NTDs caused by depletion of Cldn3, −4 and −8.•Removal of Cldn3, −4 and −8 prevents convergent extension.•Apical constriction to form the median hinge point requires Cldn3, −4 and −8.•Claudins localize polarity complex components to the apical surface.

During neural tube closure, regulated changes at the level of individual cells are translated into large-scale morphogenetic movements to facilitate conversion of the flat neural plate into a closed tube. Throughout this process, the integrity of the neural epithelium is maintained via cell interactions through intercellular junctions, including apical tight junctions. Members of the claudin family of tight junction proteins regulate paracellular permeability, apical-basal cell polarity and link the tight junction to the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we show that claudins are essential for neural tube closure: the simultaneous removal of Cldn3, −4 and −8 from tight junctions caused folate-resistant open neural tube defects. Their removal did not affect cell type differentiation, neural ectoderm patterning nor overall apical-basal polarity. However, apical accumulation of Vangl2, RhoA, and pMLC were reduced, and Par3 and Cdc42 were mislocalized at the apical cell surface. Our data showed that claudins act upstream of planar cell polarity and RhoA/ROCK signaling to regulate cell intercalation and actin-myosin contraction, which are required for convergent extension and apical constriction during neural tube closure, respectively.

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