Publications
Videos from Lab Research
Developmental Transition
Movie of myosin (green) and membrane (magenta) in embryo undergoing gastrulation. Pulsed contractions identified from the embryo are shown in white overlay. Bolded white pulses are ratcheted pulses. Lighter white pulses are unconstricting or unratcheted pulses. Cells start with unratcheted or unconstricting pulses and transition to having ratcheted pulses. Video / Shicong ‘Mimi’ Xie
Egg Cell Development
We also discovered an actomyosin transition in the developing egg cell, the oocyte. The oocyte (bottom, big cell) grows through cytoplasm (blue) transported from nurse cells (top). Shrinking nurse cells initiate actomyosin (red) waves part-way through this process, which squeezes the last bit of cytoplasm into the oocyte. Video / Jasmin Imran Alsous
Actin Dynamics
Radial cell polarity of Rho Kinase organizes myosin, actin, and adherens junctions in constricting cells. Video / Frank Mason
Rok Inhibition
Inhibition of Rok disrupts actin filament condensation and organization in across the apical surface. Video / Adam Martin
Armadillo
Contractile activity tears tissue apart when adherens junctions are disrupted, demonstrating critical role for adherens junctions in integrating contractile forces across the tissue. Video / Adam Martin
Actin Polymerization
Contractile activity tearsLimiting actin polymerization with the drug Cytochalasin D disrupts stable connections between cells, suggesting that robust actin filament assembly is critical to maintain stable attachments between cells. Video / Mike Tworoger
Laser Incisions
Laser incisions result in elastic recoil of the ventral furrow tissue, demonstrating high levels of tension. Video / Soline Chanet
Pulses of Rio-kinase
Embryo expressing a Venus-tagged Rho-Kinase and Cherry-tagged myosin demonstrates that both myosin could be regulated by dynamic upstream signals. Video / Claudia Vasquez
Rogues Gallery
Mutants have differing affects on myosin organization in each cell, but most of these mutants disrupt pulsing behavior. Video / Claudia Vasquez