Lighting up developmental mechanisms: how fluorescence imaging heralded a new era.
Embryology and genetics have given rise to a mechanistic framework that explains the architecture of a developing organism. Until recently, however, such studies suffered from a lack of quantification and real-time visualization at the subcellular level, limiting their ability to monitor the dynamics of developmental processes. Live imaging using fluorescent proteins has overcome these limitations, uncovering unprecedented insights that call many established models into question. We review how the study of patterning, cell polarization and morphogenesis has benefited from this technology and discuss the possibilities offered by fluorescence imaging and by the contributions of quantitative disciplines.
Mavrakis
Manos
M
IBDML (Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille Luminy), UMR6216 CNRS-Université de la Méditerranée, Parc Scientifique de Luminy BP 907, 13009 Marseille, France.
Pourquié
Olivier
O
Lecuit
Thomas
T
D019521:Body Patterning; D016764:Cell Polarity; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011506:Proteins