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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: October 27, 2023
Rho signaling pathway and apical constriction in the early lens placode
Ricardo Moraes Borges1, Marcelo Lazzaron Lamers, Fabio Luis Forti
1Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
Epithelial invagination in many model systems is driven by apical cell constriction, mediated by actin and myosin II contraction regulated by GTPase activity. Here we investigate apical constriction during chick lens placode invagination. Inhibition of actin polymerization and myosin II activity by cytochalasin D or blebbistatin prevents lens invagination. To further verify if lens placode invaginate through apical constriction, we analyzed the role of Rho-ROCK pathway. Rho GTPases expression at the apical portion of the lens placode occurs with the same dynamics as that of the cytoskeleton. Overexpression of the pan-Rho inhibitor C3 exotoxin abolished invagination and had a strong effect on apical myosin II enrichment and a mild effect on apical actin localization. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of ROCK activity interfered significantly with apical enrichment of both actin and myosin. These results suggest that apical constriction in lens invagination involves ROCK but apical concentration of actin and myosin are regulated through different pathways upstream of ROCK. genesis 49:368-379, 2011.
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