Collective Cell Death and Canonical Pathways
Prompted by unique phenotypes associated with cell death mutations, we developed live reporter systems for real time imaging of epithelial cell death in vivo. Combining these tools with examination of tissues mosaic for apoptotic activity, we discovered a form of collective cell death, where synchronous apoptosis is coordinated throughout the tissue, causing wholesale loss of an entire epithelium within minutes. This collective behavior starkly contrasts with typical apoptosis models in developing systems, where a single cell, surrounded by viable neighbors, sporadically initiates apoptosis. Here, cell groups die collectively throughout the epithelium, with obvious parallels to glandular involution in mammals. Current studies are examining how collective cell death is controlled and coordinated to affect dramatic change as part of tissue remodeling.
Collective Cell Death movies: