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Updated: Nov 5, 2025

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Cytoskeletal players in single-cell branching morphogenesis.

Delia Ricolo1, Judith Castro-Ribera1, Sofia J Araújo1

  • 1Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Biomedicine University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain.

Developmental Biology
|May 18, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Subcellular branching in animals, crucial for organ function, involves complex cytoskeletal remodeling. This review focuses on Drosophila tracheal system terminal cells to understand microtubule and actin regulation in branching networks.

Keywords:
ActinArborisationAxonBranchingCentrosomeDendriteDrosophilaECEndotheliumMicrotubulesNeuronSingle-cellSubcellularTCTracheaTubulogenesis

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Branching networks are fundamental to multicellular animal organ formation and function, including nervous, respiratory, and vascular systems.
  • Subcellular branching, observed in neurons and respiratory/vascular cells, involves intricate cytoskeletal dynamics and membrane remodeling.
  • Drosophila tracheal system terminal cells (TCs) and dendritic arborization (da) neurons serve as key model systems for studying single-cell branching.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the cytoskeletal regulation of subcellular branching.
  • To highlight the role of microtubule and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in generating branched structures.
  • To draw parallels between branching mechanisms in Drosophila TCs and other systems like neuronal dendrites and vertebrate vasculature.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on cytoskeletal regulation in subcellular branching.
  • Focus on studies utilizing Drosophila tracheal system terminal cells as a model.
  • Comparative analysis with dendritic branching in neurons and vascular development.

Main Results:

  • Subcellular branching requires extensive remodeling of microtubule and actin cytoskeletons.
  • Vesicular transport and membrane dynamics are critical downstream events.
  • Cytoskeletal regulation provides a conserved mechanism for generating complex branched architectures.

Conclusions:

  • The cytoskeleton, particularly microtubules and actin, plays a pivotal role in directing subcellular branching.
  • Drosophila TCs offer a powerful system for dissecting the molecular mechanisms of branching.
  • Understanding these processes is vital for comprehending organ development and function across species.