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De novo apical domain formation inside the Drosophila adult midgut epithelium.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Abstract

In the adult Drosophila midgut, basal intestinal stem cells give rise to enteroblasts that integrate into the epithelium as they differentiate into enterocytes. Integrating enteroblasts must generate a new apical domain and break through the septate junctions between neighbouring enterocytes, while maintaining barrier function. We observe that enteroblasts form an apical membrane initiation site (AMIS) when they reach the septate junction between the enterocytes. Cadherin clears from the apical surface and an apical space appears between above the enteroblast. New septate junctions then form laterally with the enterocytes and the AMIS develops into an apical domain below the enterocyte septate junction. The enteroblast therefore forms a pre-assembled apical compartment before it has a free apical surface in contact with the gut lumen. Finally, the enterocyte septate junction disassembles and the enteroblast/pre-enterocyte reaches the gut lumen with a fully formed brush border. The process of enteroblast integration resembles lumen formation in mammalian epithelial cysts, highlighting the similarities between the fly midgut and mammalian epithelia.

Description

Peer reviewed: True

Keywords

Research Article, Cell Biology, epithelial cells, midgut, apical-basal polarity, septate junction, brush border, D. melanogaster

Journal Title

Elife

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2050-084X
2050-084X

Volume Title

Publisher

eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (207496/Z/17/Z)
Wellcome Trust (207496/Z/17/A)
Wellcome Trust (203144/A/16/Z)
Wellcome Trust (203144/Z/16/Z)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
Wellcome Trust (092096/Z/10/Z)
Wellcome Trust (075661/Z/04/Z)
Cancer Research UK (C6946/A24843)