Mechanical and genetics basis of cellularization and serosal window closure in Tribolium castaneum

Doctoral Thesis

The applications of studying the early development of insects range from agriculture to material science. In agriculture creating new kinds of pesticides and in material science making new materials that avoid desiccation. After Drosophila melanogaster, Tribolium castaneum is becoming the most used insect in developmental biology because Tribolium’s development is more representative to the rest of the insects’ development than Drosophila’s. In this thesis the early development of Tribolium is studied, specifically cellularization and serosal window closure. Cellularization is the formation of the cells. We discovered that the mechanical interaction between cells leads to the formation of a Voronoi tilling in the cells’ arrangement. Furthermore, we studied the genetics of cellularization by silencing genes related to junction proteins. We found that Innexin 7 protein is central to finish the process of cellularization. Serosal window closure is the first cell...Show moreThe applications of studying the early development of insects range from agriculture to material science. In agriculture creating new kinds of pesticides and in material science making new materials that avoid desiccation. After Drosophila melanogaster, Tribolium castaneum is becoming the most used insect in developmental biology because Tribolium’s development is more representative to the rest of the insects’ development than Drosophila’s. In this thesis the early development of Tribolium is studied, specifically cellularization and serosal window closure. Cellularization is the formation of the cells. We discovered that the mechanical interaction between cells leads to the formation of a Voronoi tilling in the cells’ arrangement. Furthermore, we studied the genetics of cellularization by silencing genes related to junction proteins. We found that Innexin 7 protein is central to finish the process of cellularization. Serosal window closure is the first cell rearrangement to create a cover for the embryo. We looked for proteins involved in serosal window closure. We found that protein Laminin α1,2, β and γ is a key cell component in the process of serosal window closure. In conclusion, during development there are physical and genetics factors acting at the same time.Show less

Cellularization

Serosal window closure

Mechanical interactions

Innexin7

Laminin