Research report 2012 - Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics

The forces driving tissue movement - Epiboly in zebrafish embryos

Authors
Grill, Stephan
Departments
Motor Systems (Grill Lab)
Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Zellbiologie und Genetik, Dresden
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden
Summary
During gastrulation in zebrafish, the enveloping cell layer (EVL) spreads over the yolk cell – almost like a woolen hat that you pull over your head. This movement is driven by a contractile ring of the proteins actin and myosin – so far, the ring was thought to function by circumferential contraction only, like a simple purse-string. Max Planck researchers now showed that the movement is instead driven by a flow-friction mechanism. This mechanism generates a pulling force through resistance against retrograde actomyosin flow – the actomyosin ring contracts also along its width.

For the full text, see the German version.

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