Abstract
The reproductive system of the hermaphroditic nematode C. elegans consists of a series of contractile cell types—including the gonadal sheath cells, the spermathecal cells and the spermatheca–uterine valve—that contract in a coordinated manner to regulate oocyte entry and exit of the fertilized embryo into the uterus. Contraction is driven by acto-myosin contraction and relies on the development and maintenance of specialized acto-myosin networks in each cell type. Study of this system has revealed insights into the regulation of acto-myosin network assembly and contractility in vivo.
Highlights
The actin cytoskeleton is a dynamic structure polymerized from globular actin monomers (G-actin) into a helical filament (F-actin) [1]
The sheath expresses TLN-1/talin, an adaptor protein that helps to connect integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. It is not known if TLN-1 localizes to dense bodies, the circumferential actin bundles in the sheath cells are completely disrupted when TLN-1 is disrupted by RNA interference (RNAi) [59]
The spermatheca, the morphogenesis of which occurs during L4 [40], consists of a single layer of 24 myoepithelial cells, is the site of sperm storage and fertilization [40,43]
Summary
The actin cytoskeleton is a dynamic structure polymerized from globular actin monomers (G-actin) into a helical filament (F-actin) [1]. Actin filaments play important roles in cell division and cytokinesis, [3,4,5], and are essential components of many cellular structures including cortical actin networks, contractile acto-myosin stress fibers, lamellipodia and filopodia [6,7,8,9,10] These structures play an important role in cell migration [11], tissue morphogenesis [12,13,14], wound closure [15], and cell and tissue adaptation to physical stress [8,16]. The somatic gonad in the C. elegans hermaphrodite is a bilobed structure surrounded by a single layer of contractile cells [37].
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