Fig. 2. Cell matching and realignment during DC is mediated by filopodia.
Zippering in Drosophila embryos expressing en-RFP-Moesin
(red) and ptc-GFP-Moesin (green), as shown merged (top row) and in
isolation (middle and bottom rows, respectively). (Ai-iv'') Images
from Movie 2 (see Movie 2 in the supplementary material) showing filopodial
matching. (i) Red and green filopodia protrude from leading edge cells. (ii)
Contacts are made between red filopodia from opposing epithelia, while at the
same time separate contacts are made between green filopodia. (iii) Further
contacts are made between red filopodia; however, green filopodia in close
proximity to these red filopodial contacts do not interact. (iv) Green
filopodia transiently form contacts between ptc-GFP-Moesin cells over
the top of the fused red cells. (Bi-v'') Images from Movie 3 (see
Movie 3 in the supplementary material) showing realignment of misaligned
epithelial sheets by filopodial searching and pulling. (i) The two epithelial
sheets are initially poorly aligned. A filopodial tether transiently exists
between green cells but later breaks. (ii) Contacts form between filopodia
from en-RFP-Moesin-expressing cells. (iii,iv) Green filopodia in the
lower sheet do not interact with nearby red filopodia and ultimately form
contacts with green cells some distance away in the opposing sheet. (v) The
tethers that result from the contacts made by red and green filopodia pull the
sheets into alignment. The described filopodial interactions are indicated by
arrowheads. Scale bars: 10 µm.