Fig. 5. VD growth cone migration is normal in unc-119(ed3) mutants. (A) Time-lapse images of a migrating VD growth cone in a wild-type animal expressing GFP in the GABA motor neurons. At time 0:00, the lateral growth cone was round as it migrated circumferentially across the epidermis. When it contacted the dorsal body wall muscle, the growth cone formed an anvil-shaped structure (arrowhead, 0:24). A single finger extended between the muscle and epidermal cells toward the dorsal nerve cord (solid arrow, 0:56). Eventually this finger contacted the dorsal nerve cord where a new growth cone formed (arrowhead 1:36). The original growth cone located at the ventral side of the body wall muscle was collapsing (open arrowhead). (B) Schematic of wild-type growth cone imaged in A. The dorsal nerve cord is indicated by a dotted line. (C) Time-lapse images of a migrating VD growth cone in an unc-119(ed3) mutant expressing GFP in the GABA motor neurons. At 0:00, the lateral growth cone was round. When the growth cone contacted the dorsal body wall muscle (0:25, arrowhead) it formed an anvil-shaped structure. The growth cone sent fingers dorsally (solid arrows, 0:35) that contacted the dorsal nerve cord. At 1:05 the finger reached the dorsal nerve cord where a new growth cone formed. The ventral growth cone (open arrowhead) collapsed. (D) Schematic of unc-119(ed3) growth cone imaged in C. The dorsal nerve cord is indicated by a dotted line. Scale bars (A,C) 5 µm.