Form of the worm: genetics of epidermal morphogenesis in C-elegans

The development of the epidermis of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegan s illustrates many common processes of epithelial morphogenesis. In the wor m, these morphogenetic movements have been described with single-cell resol ution, and the roles of individual cells have been probed in laser killing experiments. Genetic dissection is yielding insights into the molecular mec hanisms of these complex morphogenetic processes.