Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Immunostaining and Dye Penetration Experiments to Define Core Pleated Septate Junction Proteins in Drosophila Embryonic Epithelia
Published on: February 27, 2026
Requirements for adherens junction components in the interaction between epithelial tissues during dorsal closure in
Nicole Gorfinkiel1, Alfonso Martinez Arias
1Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK. ng288@hermes.cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
Dynamic interactions between epithelial sheets are a regular feature of morphogenetic processes. Dorsal closure in Drosophila relies on the coordinated movements of two epithelia, the epidermis and the amnioserosa, and provides an excellent model system for a genetic and cell biological approach. Here, we have analyzed the contribution of junctional organization of these epithelia to dorsal closure. We observe a stringent requirement for adherens junctions at the leading edge, the interface between the amnioserosa and the epidermis, for the transmission of the forces generated during the process. We also find that interactions between Armadillo and E-cadherin play an important role in maintaining the adhesion at the leading edge, revealing the particular dynamics of this interface. Our results show that regulated cell adhesion is a crucial element of the interactions that shape epithelial sheets in morphogenetic processes.
Related Concept Videos
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Anchoring Junctions
Tight Junctions
Desmosomes
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

