Fusion of epithelial sheets as seen in formation of the chick amnion

Fusion of the amniotic folds over the chick embryo provides an example of epithelial fusion in which one group of ectodermal cells appears to contribute to traction and a second group appears to respond by moving to the midline, becoming internalized and degenerating. Neutral red staining of living embryos and transmission electron microscopy indicate that a patch of dying cells is present in the fusion region. Scanning electron microscopy shows that ectoderm cells at the rim of the amniotic folds are cylindrical in shape with long axes oriented parallel to the rim. These cells have a smooth surface, but show increasing amounts of blebbing toward the midline. Characteristically, a globular region of rounded cells showing extreme blebbing is present at the midline. Just anterior to the globular region, flattened cells are present on the surface with many taut cellular processes. Orientation of ectodermal cells around the region of fusion suggests that traction is exerted from these flattened cells. When treated with cytochalasin D, posterior progression of the zone of fusion is blocked. Also, the flattened cells anterior to the globular region round up, revealing many elongated, anteriorly-directed cytoplasmic processes presumably leading to sites of original attachment.