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Cell and tissue dynamics during gastrulation
Author(s) -
Rongish Brenda J,
Zamir Evan A,
Cui Cheng,
Little Charles D
Publication year - 2008
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.22.1_supplement.235.2
Subject(s) - gastrulation , primitive streak , ingression , microbiology and biotechnology , morphogen , motility , morphogenesis , biology , mesoderm , endoderm , cell , embryo , anatomy , embryogenesis , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene
During avian gastrulation epiblastic/presumptive mesodermal cells ingress through the primitive streak, subsequently moving away to re‐epithelialize and form tissue sheets. Our time‐lapse studies demonstrate the extent of cell‐autonomous motility compared to passive tissue motion during gastrulation. Particle image velocimetry allowed computation of tissue displacement fields, using the motion of ECM fibrils as in situ markers for tissue displacements — while simultaneously tracking individual cells in the same embryo. This approach allows calculation of active cell‐autonomous motility versus passive convective tissue motion. The data demonstrate that passive tissue motion contributes significantly to apparent mesodermal cell trajectories. Notably: 1) ingression of epiblastic cells, into and through the streak, is accompanied by corresponding passive ingression of ECM fibers; and 2) cell‐autonomous motility decreases as “new” mesodermal cells move away from the streak and are incorporated into ECM rich tissue sheets. These data greatly clarify the biophysical mechanisms that drive mesodermal cell movements in warm‐blooded embryos. The work has profound implications for understanding cell guidance mechanisms, presumptive morphogen gradients and tissue morphogenesis during gastrulation. Supported by the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation (CDL, BJR).