Integration of epithelial patterning and morphogenesis in Drosophila ovarian follicle cells

Drosophila oogenesis involves the coordinated development of germ cells and an overlying follicular epithelium. The follicle cells provide a genetical ly tractable system to investigate the cell biology of patterning and morph ogenesis. Follicle cells initially form a cuboidal epithelium surrounding a syncytium of nurse cells and oocyte. Epithelial structure is maintained as these cells reorganize to create the three dimensional architecture of the eggshell. Both long-range and short-range cell-cell communications pattern the domains of follicle cells that will create specific eggshell structure s. After terminal differentiation to deposit the eggshell proteins, the fol licle cells die. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding th e cell-cell communication that orchestrates follicle cell patterning and mi grations. DE-cadherin-mediated adhesion is important at several steps in eg g chamber formation and follicle cell migration. Notch signaling is critica l during each successive round of patterning and migration. Integration of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) signals patterns the elaborate structures of the dorsal-anterior eggshell. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.