help  | about  | cite  | software

Publication : Reorganization of membrane contacts prior to apoptosis in the Drosophila retina: the role of the IrreC-rst protein.

First Author  Reiter C Year  1996
Journal  Development Volume  122
Pages  1931-40 PubMed ID  8674431
Abstract Text  The final step of pattern formation in the developing retina of Drosophila is the elimination of excess cells between ommatidia and the differentiation of the remaining cells into secondary and tertiary pigment cells. Temporally and spatially highly regulated expression of the irregular chiasmC-roughest protein, an adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily known to be involved in axonal pathfinding, is essential for correct sorting of cell-cell contacts in the pupal retina without which the ensuing wave of apoptosis does not occur. Irregular chiasmC-roughest accumulates strongly at the borders between primary pigment and interommatidial cells. Mutant and misexpression analysis show that this accumulation of the irregular chiasmC-roughest protein is necessary for aligning interommatidial cells in a single row. This reorganisation is a prerequisite for the identification of death candidates. Irregular chiasmC-roughest function in retinal development demonstrates the importance of specific cell contacts for assignment of the apoptotic fate. Issue  6
Month  Jun

Publication Annotations Displayer

9 Entities

12 Mesh Terms