article published yes Richard Row author Jean-Léon Maître author 48F1E0D8-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-3688-1474 Benjamin Martin author Petra Stockinger author 261CB030-E90D-11E9-B182-F697D44B663C Carl-Philipp J Heisenberg author 39427864-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-0912-4566 David Kimelman author CaHe department The process of gastrulation is highly conserved across vertebrates on both the genetic and morphological levels, despite great variety in embryonic shape and speed of development. This mechanism spatially separates the germ layers and establishes the organizational foundation for future development. Mesodermal identity is specified in a superficial layer of cells, the epiblast, where cells maintain an epithelioid morphology. These cells involute to join the deeper hypoblast layer where they adopt a migratory, mesenchymal morphology. Expression of a cascade of related transcription factors orchestrates the parallel genetic transition from primitive to mature mesoderm. Although the early and late stages of this process are increasingly well understood, the transition between them has remained largely mysterious. We present here the first high resolution in vivo observations of the blebby transitional morphology of involuting mesodermal cells in a vertebrate embryo. We further demonstrate that the zebrafish spadetail mutation creates a reversible block in the maturation program, stalling cells in the transition state. This mutation creates an ideal system for dissecting the specific properties of cells undergoing the morphological transition of maturing mesoderm, as we demonstrate with a direct measurement of cell–cell adhesion. Elsevier2011 eng 21463614 00029055050001010.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025 3541102 - 110 R. Row, J.-L. Maître, B. Martin, P. Stockinger, C.-P. J. Heisenberg, and D. Kimelman, “Completion of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in zebrafish mesoderm requires Spadetail,” <i>Developmental Biology</i>, vol. 354, no. 1. Elsevier, pp. 102–110, 2011. R. Row, J.-L. Maître, B. Martin, P. Stockinger, C.-P.J. Heisenberg, D. Kimelman, Developmental Biology 354 (2011) 102–110. Row R, Maître J-L, Martin B, Stockinger P, Heisenberg C-PJ, Kimelman D. 2011. Completion of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in zebrafish mesoderm requires Spadetail. Developmental Biology. 354(1), 102–110. Row, Richard, et al. “Completion of the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Zebrafish Mesoderm Requires Spadetail.” <i>Developmental Biology</i>, vol. 354, no. 1, Elsevier, 2011, pp. 102–10, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025">10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025</a>. Row, R., Maître, J.-L., Martin, B., Stockinger, P., Heisenberg, C.-P. J., &#38; Kimelman, D. (2011). Completion of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in zebrafish mesoderm requires Spadetail. <i>Developmental Biology</i>. Elsevier. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025</a> Row, Richard, Jean-Léon Maître, Benjamin Martin, Petra Stockinger, Carl-Philipp J Heisenberg, and David Kimelman. “Completion of the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Zebrafish Mesoderm Requires Spadetail.” <i>Developmental Biology</i>. Elsevier, 2011. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025</a>. Row R, Maître J-L, Martin B, Stockinger P, Heisenberg C-PJ, Kimelman D. Completion of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in zebrafish mesoderm requires Spadetail. <i>Developmental Biology</i>. 2011;354(1):102-110. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025">10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.03.025</a> 33792018-12-11T12:03:00Z2026-07-28T08:31:27Z