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First published online 9 January 2008
doi: 10.1242/dev.014001

Development 135, 621-626 (2008)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2008
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Research Report

Dynamic analysis of filopodial interactions during the zippering phase of Drosophila dorsal closure

Thomas H. Millard* and Paul Martin

Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1DA, UK.

* Author for correspondence at present address: The Healing Foundation Centre, Michael Smith Building, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK (tom.millard{at}manchester.ac.uk)

Accepted 18 November 2007

SUMMARY

Dorsal closure is a paradigm epithelial fusion episode that occurs late in Drosophila embryogenesis and leads to sealing of a midline hole by bonding of two opposing epithelial sheets. The leading edge epithelial cells express filopodia and fusion is dependent on interdigitation of these filopodia to prime formation of adhesions. Since the opposing epithelia are molecularly patterned there must exist some mechanism for accurately aligning the two sheets across this fusion seam. To address this, we generated a fly in which RFP-Moesin and GFP-Moesin are expressed in mutually exclusive stripes within each segment using the engrailed and patched promoters. We observe mutually exclusive interactions between the filopodia of engrailed and patched cells. Interactions between filopodia from matching cells leads to formation of tethers between them, and these tethers can pull misaligned epithelial sheets into alignment. Filopodial matching also occurs during repair of laser wounds in the ventral epithelium, and so this behaviour is not restricted to leading edge cells during dorsal closure. Finally, we characterise the behaviour of a patched-expressing cell that we observe within the engrailed region of segments A1-A5, and provide evidence that this cell contributes to cell matching.

Key words: Epithelium, Adhesion, Patterning, Embryo, Wound


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This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Cell Sci.Home page
T. H. Millard and P. Martin
Dynamic analysis of filopodial interactions during the zippering phase of Drosophila dorsal closure
J. Cell Sci., February 15, 2008; 121(4): e406 - e406.
[Full Text]


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