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Endocytosis is required for efficient apical constriction during Xenopus gastrulation
Jen-Yi Lee1, Richard M Harland
1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. jenyilee@berkeley.edu <jenyilee@berkeley.edu>
Current Biology : CB
|January 26, 2010
Summary
Endocytosis drives efficient apical constriction (AC) in epithelial sheets, a key process for embryonic development. This study reveals endocytosis is essential for AC, ensuring proper tissue invagination during gastrulation and neurulation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Coordinated apical constriction (AC) drives epithelial tissue invagination, crucial for embryonic morphogenesis.
- Actomyosin contractility was previously identified as a driver of AC in Xenopus laevis bottle cells.
- The role of other cellular processes in conjunction with actomyosin contractility remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of endocytosis in apical constriction (AC).
- To determine if membrane remodeling via endocytosis is required for efficient AC during embryonic development.
- To elucidate the relationship between endocytosis and actomyosin contractility in AC.
Main Methods:
- Observing endosome localization in Xenopus laevis bottle cells during early gastrulation.
- Perturbing endocytosis using dominant-negative dynamin and rab5.
- Assessing the impact of endocytosis disruption on AC rates.
- Examining the effects of endocytosis inhibition on neural tube closure during neurulation.
Main Results:
- Endosomes were found exclusively in bottle cells during early gastrulation.
- Disrupting endocytosis significantly decreased the rate of AC, particularly late in the process.
- Endocytosis inhibition during neurulation led to defects in neural tube closure.
- Findings suggest endocytosis acts downstream of actomyosin contractility to remove excess membrane.
Conclusions:
- Endocytosis-driven membrane remodeling is essential for efficient apical constriction.
- This mechanism is critical for morphogenetic events like gastrulation and neurulation.
- Membrane remodeling via endocytosis may be a general mechanism for achieving efficient tissue invagination in embryos.
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