title: Cellular behavior in the developing Drosophila pupal retina.
abstract: Correct patterning of cells within an epithelium is key to establishing their normal function. However, the precise mechanisms by which individual cells arrive at their final developmental niche remains poorly understood. We developed an optimized system for imaging the developing Drosophila retina, an ideal tissue for the study of cell positioning. Using this technique, we characterized the cellular dynamics of developing wild-type pupal retinas. We also analyzed two mutants affecting eye patterning and demonstrate that cells mutant for Notch or Roughest signaling were aberrantly dynamic in their cell movements. Finally, we establish a role for the adherens junction regulator P120-Catenin in retinal patterning through its regulation of normal adherens junction integrity. Our results indicate a requirement for P120-Catenin in the developing retina, the first reported developmental function of this protein in the epithelia of lower metazoa. Based upon our live visualization of the P120-Catenin mutant as well as genetic data, we conclude that P120-Catenin is acting to stabilize E-cadherin and adherens junction integrity during eye development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8103, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.forename: Ross L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cagan
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000254:growth & development*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011679:Pupa / Q000254:growth & development; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D000095002:Delta Catenin
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; C497759:N protein, Drosophila; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; C085209:rst protein, Drosophila; D000095002:Delta Catenin