E-cadherin expression pattern during zebrafish embryonic epidermis development

F1000Res. 2018 Sep 18:7:1489. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.15932.3. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Background: E-cadherin is the major adhesion receptor in epithelial adherens junctions (AJs). On established epidermis, E-cadherin performs fine-tuned cell-cell contact remodeling to maintain tissue integrity, which is characterized by modulation of cell shape, size and packing density. In zebrafish, the organization and distribution of E-cadherin in AJs during embryonic epidermis development remain scarcely described. Methods: Combining classical immunofluorescence, deconvolution microscopy and 3D-segmentation of AJs in epithelial cells, a quantitative approach was implemented to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of E-cadherin across zebrafish epidermis between 24 and 72 hpf. Results: increasing levels of E-cadh protein parallel higher cell density and the appearance of hexagonal cells in the enveloping layer (EVL) as well as the establishments of new cell-cell contacts in the epidermal basal layer (EBL), being significantly between 31 and 48 hpf .Conclusions: Increasing levels of E-cadherin in AJs correlates with extensive changes in cell morphology towards hexagonal packing during the epidermis morphogenesis.

Keywords: 3D segmentation; Key words: E-cadherin; adherens junctions; zebrafish epidermis; enveloping layer (EVL); deconvolution; epidermis basal layer (EBL).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adherens Junctions
  • Animals
  • Cadherins
  • Epidermis*
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Cadherins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National University of Entre Ríos, Argentina [PID-UNER 6145].