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Gastrulation

Gastrulation

Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata will form...

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another cell. These cell junctions are classified into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another cell. These cell junctions are classified into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring Junctions

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Generation of Naïve Blastoderm Explants from Zebrafish Embryos

Generation of Naïve Blastoderm Explants from Zebrafish Embryos

Published on: July 30, 2021

Intercellular bridges in vertebrate gastrulation.

Luca Caneparo¹, Periklis Pantazis, William Dempsey

¹Beckman Institute and Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America. caneparo@caltech.edu

|June 8, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers discovered long intercellular bridges connecting epiblast cells in zebrafish embryos during gastrulation. These bridges, formed after cell division, may facilitate protein transfer and influence embryonic development.

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Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cell Biology
Zebrafish Embryogenesis

Background:

Zebrafish embryos are crucial models for studying regional patterning, cell movement, and shape changes during development.
Understanding cell morphology during gastrulation is key to deciphering early embryonic development.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the morphological features of cells during zebrafish gastrulation.
To identify and characterize novel structures involved in cell-cell interactions during embryonic development.

Main Methods:

Generation of mosaic zebrafish embryos using membrane-bound Dendra2 for visualizing cellular boundaries.
Microscopic observation and analysis of cellular structures during gastrulation stages.

Main Results:

A significant fraction of epiblast cells in zebrafish embryos are joined by intercellular bridges, several cell diameters in length.
These bridges differ in length and origin from previously reported cellular protrusions.
Intercellular bridges form post-mitosis from dividing cell daughters and persist through gastrulation.
These structures facilitate protein transfer between distant cells.

Conclusions:

Intercellular bridges represent a previously unrecognized feature of the zebrafish embryonic cellular landscape.
These bridges offer new insights into cell-cell communication mechanisms during gastrulation.
Findings have implications for modeling, cellular mechanics, and understanding morphogenetic signaling in embryonic development.