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The forces that shape the embryo: biomechanics of gastrulation.
Author(s) -
Davidson Lance
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a198-b
Subject(s) - extracellular matrix , fibronectin , microbiology and biotechnology , morphogenesis , gastrulation , convergent extension , actin , biology , mechanobiology , extracellular , biophysics , chemistry , embryo , embryogenesis , genetics , gene
The extracellular matrix is a dynamic structure that guides morphogenesis in the frog embryo. Individual programs of cell motility are tightly regulated to remodel the extracellular matrix and coordinate tissue rearrangement through locally‐generated traction. Our lab is investigating the local cell‐mechanical environment during this process using microsurgery and high resolution confocal time‐lapse microscopy. We describe tissue‐level mechanics, cell behaviors, cell protrusive activity, and traction forces as we visualize the dynamics of both cortical actin and the fibrillar fibronectin extracellular matrix. We have found that cortical‐actin dynamics underlie the rapid re‐organization of extracellular matrix during axis extension. These studies and recent reports of cross‐talk between fibronectin fibril assembly and the non‐canonical wnt / planar cell polarity pathway (Goto, Davidson, Asashima, and Keller, 2005, Current Biology 15:787–93) as well as modulation of cell protrusive behaviors by integrin α5β1 and fibronectin (Davidson, Marsden, Keller, and DeSimone, 2006, Current Biology 16:833–44) indicate the extracellular matrix plays complex roles at various scales from the subcellular regulation actin assembly and organization of lamellipodia to guiding cell and tissue movements during morphogenesis.