The cytoskeleton and epidermal morphogenesis in

Essential Roles of 3′-Phosphoadenosine 5′-Phoshosulfate Synthase in Embryonic and Larval Development of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Taken together, almost complete depletion of sulfation activity affects early events of embryogenesis, such as proliferation, gastrulation, and differentiation, whereas moderate inhibition causes a specific epidermal elongation defect. To date, a number of genes involved in the elongation process have been cloned (2,3), indicating that the process is very complicated at the cellular and molecular levels. Two major factors are required for the process.…”

“…In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which is an ideal model organism for the study of morphogenesis, embryos undergo a 4-fold increase in length and a 3-fold decrease in circumference without cell division after the cell proliferation phase (1). The elongation process requires proper patterning and shape change of the epidermis (hypoderms) and body wall muscle cells adjacent to the hypodermis in C. elegans (2,3). In the patterning and shape change of the hypodermis and the body wall muscle, both the basement membrane, which is positioned between them, and dynamic cytoskeletal changes play an important role (2,3).…”

“…The elongation process requires proper patterning and shape change of the epidermis (hypoderms) and body wall muscle cells adjacent to the hypodermis in C. elegans (2,3). In the patterning and shape change of the hypodermis and the body wall muscle, both the basement membrane, which is positioned between them, and dynamic cytoskeletal changes play an important role (2,3). On the other hand, the extracellular cuticle that surrounds the hypodermis contributes to the maintenance of the final shape of the worms after the elongation (1).…”

Intermediate filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Current knowledge about the IF cytoskeleton in C. elegans will be summarized with main emphasis on the intestinal IFs, since previous reviews concentrated primarily on the contribution of IFs to epidermal function [e.g., Chin-Sang and Chisholm, 2000;Ding et al, 2004] and on nuclear lamin IFs [e.g., Fridkin et al, 2004;Melcer et al, 2007]. The C. elegans intestine is a ''simple'' epithelial tube consisting only of 20 polarized and tightly-associated cells which are, however, subject to multiple patterning and morphogenetic events [McGhee, 2007;McGhee et al, 2009].…”

Selective assembly of fibulin‐1 splice variants reveals distinct extracellular matrix networks and novel functions for perlecan/UNC‐52 splice variants

“…There are three main classes of perlecan splice variants, short, medium, and long (S, M, L), that are expressed in age and tissue specific manners. Perlecan null mutants arrest during the elongation phase of embryogenesis as a result of a defect in basement membrane function that may produce a corresponding defect in organization of the epidermal cytoskeleton (Williams and Waterston, 1994;Ding et al, 2004). Alternate splicing can give rise to M and L variants that vary in the number of immunoglobulin (Ig) repeats.…”