Blebs are spherical membrane protrusions that are produced by contractions of the
actomyosin cortex. Blebs are often considered to be a hallmark of apoptosis; however, blebs …

The orientation of the mitotic spindle has been proposed to control cell fate choices, tissue
architecture, and tissue morphogenesis. Here, we review the mechanisms regulating the …

A long-standing goal of biology is to map the behavior of all cells during vertebrate
embryogenesis. We developed digital scanned laser light sheet fluorescence microscopy …

Zebra fish may be an ideal vertebrate model system for numerous human diseases with
which the genetics and biological mechanisms of the disease may be studied. Zebra fish …

Elongation of the body axis is accompanied by the assembly of a polarized cytoarchitecture
that provides the basis for directional cell behavior. We find that planar polarity in the …

Vertebrate gastrulation involves the specification and coordinated movement of large
populations of cells that give rise to the ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal germ …

Epithelial–mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) are an important mechanism for reorganizing
germ layers and tissues during embryonic development. They have both a morphogenic …

The spatial organization of cells depends on their ability to sense their own shape and size.
Here, we investigate how cell shape affects the positioning of the nucleus, spindle and …

During development, vertebrate embryos undergo dramatic changes in shape. The
lengthening and narrowing of a field of cells, termed convergent extension, contributes to a …

The cells of many embryonic tissues actively narrow in one dimension (convergence) and
lengthen in the perpendicular dimension (extension). Convergence and extension are …