Clasp-mediated microtubule bundling regulates persistent motility and contact repulsion in Drosophila macrophages in vivo

Abstract

A microtubule arm regulates cell–cell repulsion, pointing hemocytes in opposite directions when they contact each other in Drosophila embryos.

Functional and Genetic Analysis of Spectraplakins in Drosophila

“…For example, hemocytes are a potential alternative to S2 cells. Their harvest from embryos or larvae is effortless (Sampson & Williams, 2012), and their study in culture can be complemented by work in vivo, including live imaging of cytoskeletal dynamics in developmental or wound healing contexts (Beaven et al, 2015;Evans, Zanet, Wood, & Stramer, 2010;Stramer et al, 2010). Surprisingly, Shot has not yet been investigated in these cells.…”

Collective cell migration in development

“…5 a; Abercrombie and Heaysman, 1953). Its fundamental relevance in guiding migratory processes during embryonic development has been demonstrated in vivo for dispersion of macrophages (Stramer et al, 2010) and neurons (Villar-Cerviño et al, 2013) and for collective migration of neural crest cells . When two neural crest cells interact, they assemble a transient cell-cell junction, which contains the classical cadherin complex (Scarpa et al, 2015), but they eventually repolarize their protrusions in opposite directions and move away from one another (Fig.…”

Segmentation and Shape Analysis of Macrophages Using Anglegram Analysis

“…The nuclei were labelled with GFP-Moesin, which appeared red, whilst the microtubules were labelled with a green microtubule probe (Clip-GFP) [4]. RGB images of dimensions (n h , n w , n d ) = (512, 672, 3) and 541 time frames were acquired.…”

“…It has been shown that interactions among the cells' structures appear to anticipate the direction of migration [4]. Precise analyses of cell shapes as they evolve through time, as well as the correct identification of interacting cells that overlap could provide information for specific cells in biological studies; where sharp corners suggest an active migrating cell and rounded corners inactivity [4]. Thus, accurate cell segmentation could provide information for specific cells for biological studies.…”

“…The model organism Drosophila melanogaster can offer insights into how macrophages integrate cues to migration and other tasks [2]. It has been shown that interactions among the cells' structures appear to anticipate the direction of migration [4]. Precise analyses of cell shapes as they evolve through time, as well as the correct identification of interacting cells that overlap could provide information for specific cells in biological studies; where sharp corners suggest an active migrating cell and rounded corners inactivity [4].…”