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Quantitative analysis of epithelial morphogenesis in Drosophila oogenesis: New insights based on morphometric analysis and mechanical modeling.

Authors :
Kolahi KS
White PF
Shreter DM
Classen AK
Bilder D
Mofrad MR
Source :
Developmental biology [Dev Biol] 2009 Jul 15; Vol. 331 (2), pp. 129-39. Date of Electronic Publication: 2009 May 03.
Publication Year :
2009

Abstract

The process of epithelial morphogenesis is ubiquitous in animal development, but much remains to be learned about the mechanisms that shape epithelial tissues. The follicle cell (FC) epithelium encapsulating the growing germline of Drosophila is an excellent system to study fundamental elements of epithelial development. During stages 8 to 10 of oogenesis, the FC epithelium transitions between simple geometries-cuboidal, columnar and squamous-and redistributes cell populations in processes described as posterior migration, squamous cell flattening and main body cell columnarization. Here we have carried out a quantitative morphometric analysis of these poorly understood events in order to establish the parameters of and delimit the potential processes that regulate the transitions. Our results compel a striking revision of accepted views of these phenomena, by showing that posterior migration does not involve FC movements, that there is no role for columnar cell apical constriction in FC morphogenesis, and that squamous cell flattening may be a compliant response to germline growth. We utilize mechanical modeling involving finite element computational technologies to demonstrate that time-varying viscoelastic properties and growth are sufficient to account for the bulk of the FC morphogenetic changes.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1095-564X
Volume :
331
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Developmental biology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
19409378
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.04.028