Abstract
Formation of the Drosophila adult abdomen involves a process of tissue replacement in which larval epidermal cells are replaced by adult cells. The progenitors of the adult epidermis are specified during embryogenesis and, unlike the imaginal discs that make up the thoracic and head segments, they remain quiescent during larval development. During pupal development, the abdominal histoblast cells proliferate and migrate to replace the larval epidermis. Here, we provide evidence that the microRNA, miR-965, acts via string and wingless to control histoblast proliferation and migration. Ecdysone signaling downregulates miR-965 at the onset of pupariation, linking activation of the histoblast nests to the hormonal control of metamorphosis. Replacement of the larval epidermis by adult epidermal progenitors involves regulation of both cell-intrinsic events and cell communication. By regulating both cell proliferation and cell migration, miR-965 contributes to the robustness of this morphogenetic system.
Highlights
Tissue morphogenesis is a complex process, through which the organism coordinates cell proliferation and cell death with cell migration and rearrangements to achieve final organ shape and size
The abdominal epithelium of Drosophila provides a useful model system in which to study the dynamics of tissue morphogenesis in vivo and to explore the genetic and cellular mechanisms that control these complex morphogenetic processes
The adult abdominal epithelium is produced from progenitor cells, known as histoblast cells
Summary
Tissue morphogenesis is a complex process, through which the organism coordinates cell proliferation and cell death with cell migration and rearrangements to achieve final organ shape and size. Mechanisms controlling these processes play important role in morphogenesis, tissue repair and regeneration, and in cancer (Friedl and Gilmour, 2009; Rorth, 2009). Larval epidermal tissues undergo cellular restructuring and rearrangement to give rise to adult abdominal epithelium. There are four pairs of histoblast nests in each segment, which merge to assemble the adult abdominal epidermis (Madhavan and Schneiderman, 1977). The anterior and posterior dorsal histoblast nests give rise to the external dorsal cuticle of the abdominal segments (tergites), while the ventral pair give rise to the ventral cuticle (sternites)
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