Cell movements in the sea urchin embryo.
Recent studies show that gastrulation in the sea urchin embryo involves movement of cells over the blastopore lip (involution). Some cells in the vegetal plate of the late blastula become bottle-shaped but they play a limited role in gastrulation. The functions of specific integrins, regulators of cell-cell adhesion, and extracellular matrix components in gastrulation are currently being analyzed. In addition, light-microscopic studies continue to provide a unique picture of dynamic cell behavior in vivo.
Ettensohn
C A
CA
Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Technology Center for Light Microscope Imaging and Biotechnology, Carnegie Mellon University 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. ettensohn@andrew.cmu.edu
D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000196:embryology*