title: A complex choreography of cell movements shapes the vertebrate eye.
abstract: Optic cup morphogenesis (OCM) generates the basic structure of the vertebrate eye. Although it is commonly depicted as a series of epithelial sheet folding events, this does not represent an empirically supported model. Here, we combine four-dimensional imaging with custom cell tracking software and photoactivatable fluorophore labeling to determine the cellular dynamics underlying OCM in zebrafish. Although cell division contributes to growth, we find it dispensable for eye formation. OCM depends instead on a complex set of cell movements coordinated between the prospective neural retina, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and lens. Optic vesicle evagination persists for longer than expected; cells move in a pinwheel pattern during optic vesicle elongation and retinal precursors involute around the rim of the invaginating optic cup. We identify unanticipated movements, particularly of central and peripheral retina, RPE and lens. From cell tracking data, we generate retina, RPE and lens subdomain fate maps, which reveal novel adjacencies that might determine corresponding developmental signaling events. Finally, we find that similar movements also occur during chick eye morphogenesis, suggesting that the underlying choreography is conserved among vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. kristen.kwan@neuro.utah.edu
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otsuna
authors.forename: Hinako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kidokoro
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Carney
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saijoh
authors.forename: Chi-Bin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Chien
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005123:Eye / Q000196:embryology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*