The forces that shape embryos: physical aspects of convergent extension by cell intercalation
- 1 March 2008
- journal article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Physical Biology
- Vol. 5 (1), 015007
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1478-3975/5/1/015007
Abstract
We discuss the physical aspects of the morphogenic process of convergence (narrowing) and extension (lengthening) of tissues by cell intercalation. These movements, often referred to as 'convergent extension', occur in both epithelial and mesenchymal tissues during embryogenesis and organogenesis of invertebrates and vertebrates, and they play large roles in shaping the body plan during development. Our focus is on the presumptive mesodermal and neural tissues of the Xenopus (frog) embryo, tissues for which some physical measurements have been made. We discuss the physical aspects of how polarized cell motility, oriented along future tissue axes, generate the forces that drive oriented cell intercalation and how this intercalation results in convergence and extension or convergence and thickening of the tissue. Our goal is to identify aspects of these morphogenic movements for further biophysical, molecular and cell biological, and modeling studies.Keywords
This publication has 196 references indexed in Scilit:
- The PAR Proteins: Fundamental Players in Animal Cell PolarizationDevelopmental Cell, 2007
- Actomyosin contractility and microtubules drive apical constriction in Xenopus bottle cellsDevelopmental Biology, 2007
- Xenopus fibrillin regulates directed convergence and extensionDevelopmental Biology, 2006
- Assembly and remodeling of the fibrillar fibronectin extracellular matrix during gastrulation and neurulation in Xenopus laevisDevelopmental Dynamics, 2004
- Rethinking axial patterning in amphibiansDevelopmental Dynamics, 2002
- Identification of the developmental marker, JB3-antigen, as fibrillin-2 and its de novo organization into embryonic microfibrous arraysDevelopmental Dynamics, 1998
- Skeleton formation of sea urchin larvaeExperimental Cell Research, 1965
- Cellular mechanisms in the morphogenesis of the sea urchin larvaExperimental Cell Research, 1962
- Mechanics of invaginationThe Anatomical Record, 1947
- Properties and functions of the surface coat in amphibian embryosJournal of Experimental Zoology, 1943