Animal development: crowd control

Curr Biol. 2004 Sep 7;14(17):R716-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.08.047.

Abstract

To shape a developing animal, individual cell movements must be coordinated over long distances. Two recent studies help show how this is achieved during convergence and extension of the Drosophila germ-band, where polarity within the plane of the embryonic epithelium biases junction remodeling to polarize cell intercalation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adherens Junctions / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Body Patterning / physiology*
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Cell Polarity / physiology*
  • Drosophila / embryology*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Epithelium / physiology
  • Myosin Type II / metabolism

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Myosin Type II