Diversity of stripe-forming processes in an embryo

Our paper, which describes a quantitative study of stripe-forming processes relevant to segmentation in a spider embryo, has been published in the journal Developmental Biology. Segmented body patterns along the body axis are shared morphological characters of arthropods. Experimental studies using various insect and other arthropod models, however, have suggested that developmental processes resulting in striped patterns considerably vary depending on the body region as well as on the species. But, such varied stripe-forming processes have not been documented in a common framework. In this work, using embryos of the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum, we quantitatively characterized the diversity of stripe-forming processes in a dynamic cellular field. Cell behaviors were also examined to show wave-like features of gene expression. Our descriptions highlight contrasting pattern dynamics, splitting versus oscillation, in both terminal (head and abdominal) regions of the field. In the middle (thoracic) region, stripes appear to form by a third mechanism. Employment of a diversity of segmentation processes in an embryonic field, which are region-dependent, is common among arthropods.

Natsuki Hemmi, Yasuko Akiyama-Oda, Koichi Fujimoto, and Hiroki Oda（2018）
A quantitative study of the diversity of stripe-forming processes in an arthropod
cell-based field undergoing axis formation and growth
Developmental Biology 437 (2) :84-104
DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.03.001
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012160617309089