Sequential activation of apical and basolateral contractility drives ascidian endoderm invagination.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epithelial invagination is a fundamental morphogenetic behavior that transforms a flat cell sheet into a pit or groove. Previous studies of invagination have focused on the role of actomyosin-dependent apical contraction; other mechanisms remain largely unexplored.

Results

We combined experimental and computational approaches to identify a two-step mechanism for endoderm invagination during ascidian gastrulation. During Step 1, which immediately precedes invagination, endoderm cells constrict their apices because of Rho/Rho-kinase-dependent apical enrichment of 1P-myosin. Our data suggest that endoderm invagination itself occurs during Step 2, without further apical shrinkage, via a novel mechanism we call collared rounding: Rho/Rho-kinase-independent basolateral

SUBMITTER: Sherrard K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4088275 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature