title: Multicellular rosette formation links planar cell polarity to tissue morphogenesis.
abstract: Elongation of the body axis is accompanied by the assembly of a polarized cytoarchitecture that provides the basis for directional cell behavior. We find that planar polarity in the Drosophila embryo is established through a sequential enrichment of actin-myosin cables and adherens junction proteins in complementary surface domains. F-actin accumulation at AP interfaces represents the first break in planar symmetry and occurs independently of proper junctional protein distribution at DV interfaces. Polarized cells engage in a novel program of locally coordinated behavior to generate multicellular rosette structures that form and resolve in a directional fashion. Actin-myosin structures align across multiple cells during rosette formation, and adherens junction proteins assemble in a stepwise fashion during rosette resolution. Patterning genes essential for axis elongation selectively affect the frequency and directionality of rosette formation. We propose that the generation of higher-order rosette structures links local cell interactions to global tissue reorganization during morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: J Todd
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Blankenship
authors.forename: Stephanie T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Backovic
authors.forename: Justina S P
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sanny
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zallen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D022005:Adherens Junctions; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009024:Morphogenesis; D024462:Myosin Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015820:Cadherins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D024462:Myosin Type II