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Morphogenesis of the primitive gut tube is generated by Rho/ROCK/myosin II–mediated endoderm rearrangements
Author(s) -
Reed Rachel A.,
Womble Mandy A.,
Dush Michel K.,
Tull Rhesa R.,
Bloom Stephanie K.,
Morckel Allison R.,
Devlin Edward W.,
NasconeYoder Nanette M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.22157
Subject(s) - endoderm , biology , morphogenesis , myosin , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene
Abstract During digestive organogenesis, the primitive gut tube (PGT) undergoes dramatic elongation and forms a lumen lined by a single‐layer of epithelium. In Xenopus , endoderm cells in the core of the PGT rearrange during gut elongation, but the morphogenetic mechanisms controlling their reorganization are undetermined. Here, we define the dynamic changes in endoderm cell shape, polarity, and tissue architecture that underlie Xenopus gut morphogenesis. Gut endoderm cells intercalate radially, between their anterior and posterior neighbors, transforming the nearly solid endoderm core into a single layer of epithelium while concomitantly eliciting “radially convergent” extension within the gut walls. Inhibition of Rho/ROCK/Myosin II activity prevents endoderm rearrangements and consequently perturbs both gut elongation and digestive epithelial morphogenesis. Our results suggest that the cellular and molecular events driving tissue elongation in the PGT are mechanistically analogous to those that function during gastrulation, but occur within a novel cylindrical geometry to generate an epithelial‐lined tube. Developmental Dynamics 238:3111–3125, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.