Cell Adhesion in the Assembly of the Drosophila Eye

Abstract

Differential adhesion provides a mechanical force to drive cells into stable configurations during the assembly of tissues and organs. This is well illustrated in the Drosophila eye where differential adhesion plays a role in sequential recruitment of all support cells. Cell adhesion, on the other hand, is linked to the cytoskeleton and subject to regulation by cell signaling. The integration of cell adhesion with the cytoskeleton and cell signaling may provide a more thorough explanation for the diversity of forms and shapes seen in tissues and organs.

Keywords::

• adhesion
• cadherin
• cell signaling
• cortical tension
• cytoskeleton
• Drosophila eye
• IRM proteins
• pattern formation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This review is dedicated to Karl-Friedrich Fischbach, who is retiring. I am indebted to him for his help and insightful discussion during the course of this work. Especially, flies and antibodies generated in his laboratory have been especially helpful and they have also been widely used in the fly community. I thank Ross Cagan for support at the initial stage of this study and Claude Desplan for constant input.

Declaration of interest: The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This work was supported by the KMD Foundation (Boca Raton, Florida) and the Research Committee at Saint James School of Medicine in Bonaire.