Cell shape transition during epithelial fusion in inner ear development

Abstract

Epithelial fusion is a recurrent morphogenetic event in embryogenesis. It is one contiguous sheet of epithelium giving rise to two sheets of epithelium. This involves the exchange of cellular neighbours through transient loss and gain of junction components and the formation of an intact basement membrane. Some examples are the formation of optic cup, otic vesicle, neural tube, and the body wall (Chan, Moosajee, & Rainger, 2021; Fernández-Santos et al., 2021; Lubarsky & Krasnow, 2003; Millard & Martin, 2008; Pyrgaki, Trainor, Hadjantonakis, & Niswander, 2010; Schöck & Perrimon, 2002). Failure of fusion leads to a variety of birth defects such as, cleft palate, spina bifida and omphalocele. Approximately 4 of 1000 live births in India have spina bifida, a neural tube closure defect (Allagh et al., 2015). While the process seems similar across embryonic development, studies have proved otherwise (Ray & Niswander, 2012)