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

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 e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental biology 2009-07, Vol.331 (2), p.129-139
Main Authors: Kolahi, K.S., White, P.F., Shreter, D.M., Classen, A.-K., Bilder, D., Mofrad, M.R.K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Movement - physiology
Computational modeling
Drosophila
Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development
Drosophila melanogaster - physiology
Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis
Epithelial morphogenesis
Epithelium - physiology
Female
Germ Cells - cytology
Germ Cells - physiology
Mechanics
Models, Biological
Morphogenesis - physiology
Morphometric analysis
Oocytes - cytology
Oocytes - growth & development
Oocytes - physiology
Oogenesis - physiology
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0012-1606
1095-564X
DOI:10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.04.028