Dynamic regulation of the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton in zebrafish epiboly

Gastrulation is a key developmental stage with striking changes in morphology. Coordinated cell movements occur to bring cells to their correct positions in a timely manner. Cell movements and morphological changes are accomplished by precisely controlling dynamic changes in cytoskeletal proteins, microtubules, and actin filaments. Among those cellular movements, epiboly produces the first distinct morphological changes in teleosts. In this review, I describe epiboly and its mechanics, and the dynamic changes in microtubule networks and actin structures, mainly in zebrafish embryos. The factors regulating those cytoskeletal changes will also be discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.