Core planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins are well known to regulate polarity in Drosophila and vertebrate epithelia; however, their functions in vertebrate morphogenesis remain poorly understood. In this study, we describe a role for PCP signaling in the process of apical constriction during Xenopus gastrulation. The core PCP protein Vangl2 is detected at the apical surfaces of cells at the bla...

AIM To determine the accuracy of locating the apical constriction using apex locators. METHODOLOGY Extracted teeth were micro-CT scanned preoperatively to localize the apical constriction. Electronic length measurements of 91 root canals were made using nine electronic apex locators (EAL) connected to a mounting model. Distances from the major foramen were recorded at each scale bar of the EA...

Core planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins are well known to regulate polarity in Drosophila and vertebrate epithelia; however, their functions in vertebrate morphogenesis remain poorly understood. In this study, we describe a role for PCP signaling in the process of apical constriction during Xenopus gastrulation. The core PCP protein Vangl2 is detected at the apical surfaces of cells at the bla...

AIM To validate the use of longitudinal sections against cross sections using micro-CT for disclosing the topography and location of the apical constriction. METHODOLOGY Seventy extracted human teeth with 117 completely developed roots were micro-CT scanned and reconstructed at a voxel size of 27 μm. The 3DSlicer program was used to navigate the longitudinal sections parallel to the long axis...

The cytoskeleton is a major determinant of cell-shape changes that drive the formation of complex tissues during development. Important roles for actomyosin during tissue morphogenesis have been identified, but the role of the microtubule cytoskeleton is less clear. Here, we show that during tubulogenesis of the salivary glands in the fly embryo, the microtubule cytoskeleton undergoes major rea...

Early in the development of the central nervous system, progenitor cells undergo a shape change, called apical constriction, that triggers the neural plate to form a tubular structure. How apical constriction in the neural plate is controlled and how it contributes to tissue morphogenesis are not fully understood. In this study, we show that intracellular calcium ions (Ca2+) are required for Xe...

Gastrulation in C. elegans embryos involves ingression of individual cells, but is driven by apical constriction of the kind that promotes migration of epithelial cell sheets. Recent work shows that PAR proteins, known for their role in polarization and unequal cell division, are also associated with the polarization that establishes this apical constriction.

Invagination of organ placodes converts flat epithelia into three-dimensional organs. Cell tracing in the Drosophila tracheal placode revealed that, in the 30-minute period before invagination, cells enter mitotic quiescence and form short rows that encircle the future invagination site. The cells in the rows align to form a smooth boundary (;boundary smoothing'), accompanied by a transient inc...

Gastrulation of Drosophila melanogaster proceeds through sequential cell movements: ventral mesodermal (VM) cells are induced by secreted Fog protein to constrict their apical surfaces to form the ventral furrow, and subsequently lateral mesodermal (LM) cells involute toward the furrow. How these cell movements are organized remains elusive. Here, we observed that LM cells extended apical protr...