title: Cell shape and epithelial patterning in the Drosophila embryonic epidermis.
abstract: The development of denticle rows on the ventral Drosophila embryo is a valuable system for studying the genetic control of epithelial patterning. During late embryogenesis, the apical surfaces of denticle-producing cells acquire a distinctive rectangular morphology with long anteroposterior boundaries, along which the denticles form, and short ventrolateral boundaries that stain strongly for adherens junction proteins. We observe that ventrolateral denticle cell boundaries are also convoluted, suggesting that the strong adherens staining results, at least in part, from the additional membrane in these regions. Embryos mutant for the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) Effector gene multiple wing hairs (mwh), or expressing dominant negative form of the small GTPase Rac1, have cells present between the normal denticle cell rows. These 'Interloper Cells' do not have convoluted ventrolateral boundaries with strong adherens protein staining, but have normal denticle placement, suggesting that adherens protein localization is not critical for denticle cell PCP. Based on these and other observations, we propose that denticle cell morphology arises from an epithelial stretch without junction remodeling. A crude mechanical model suggests that this mechanism can generate both the straight anteroposterior boundaries and the compacted ventrolateral boundaries typical of denticle cells. We discuss the significance of cell adhesion for denticle cell morphogenesis, especially given the established role for Rac1 in cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neff
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016764:Cell Polarity; D048430:Cell Shape; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D051157:Frizzled Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010641:Phenotype; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051157:Frizzled Receptors; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C058784:fz protein, Drosophila; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein