Drosophila tracheal system formation involves FGF-dependent cell extensions contacting bridge-cells.
Development of the ectodermally derived Drosophila tracheal system is based on branch outgrowth and fusion that interconnect metamerically arranged tracheal subunits into a highly stereotyped three-dimensional tubular structure. Recent studies have revealed that this process involves a specialized cell type of mesodermal origin, termed bridge-cell. Single bridge-cells are located between adjacent tracheal subunits and serve as guiding posts for the outgrowing dorsal trunk branches. We show that bridge-cell-approaching tracheal cells form filopodia-like cell extensions, which attach to the bridge-cell surface and are essential for the tracheal subunit interconnection. The results of both dominant-negative and gain-of-function experiments suggest that the formation of cell extensions require Cdc42-mediated Drosophila fibroblast growth factor activity.
Wolf
Christian
C
Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Am Fassberg, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Gerlach
Nina
N
Schuh
Reinhard
R
D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology
D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein