Discontinuities in Rap1 activity determine epithelial cell morphology within the developing wing of Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms that govern cell-fate specification within developing epithelia have been intensely investigated, with many of the critical intercellular signaling pathways identified, and well characterized. Much less is known, however, about downstream events that drive the morphological differentiation of these cells, once their fate has been determined. In the Drosophila wing-blade epithelium, two cell types predominate: vein and intervein. After cell proliferation is complete and adhesive cell-cell contacts have been refined, the vast majority of intervein cells adopt a hexagonal morphology. Within vein territories, however, cell-shape refinement results in trapezoids. Signaling events that differentiate between vein and intervein cell fates are well understood, but the genetic pathways un

SUBMITTER: O'Keefe DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3423595 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature