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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2007 Sep 11.
Published in final edited form as: Dev Cell. 2007 May;12(5):683–698. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2007.03.003

Figure 3. aff-1 Is Required for AC Fusion prior to Cytoplasmic Mixing.

Figure 3

AC, arrowhead; utse syncytium, arrows.

Nomarski (left) fluorescence (center) and overlaid (right) images of vulval-uterine area in critical intermediates of AC development during L3 to adult.

(A) AC invasion in the L3 stage was detected by a cadherin promoter driving GFP expression (cdh-3p::GFP; [Sherwood and Sternberg, 2003]).

(B) In aff-1 mutant, AC invasion is normal.

(C) In wild-type, cytoplasmic mixing between AC and utse cells is detected by diffusion of the AC marker cdh-3p::GFP to the utse (arrows); VulD represents vulval ring “D.”

(D) In aff-1 mutant, cdh-3p::GFP retention in the AC demonstrates that cytoplasmic mixing does not occur (arrowhead).

(E) At the vulval “Christmas tree” stage, the AC and utse syncytium form a thin layer between vulva and uterus lumens in wild-type.

(F) In aff-1 mutant, this layer is not formed and the unfused AC lies at the vulva-uterus junction (arrowhead).

(G) Normal adult vulva after eversion.

(H) Unfused AC remains at the apex of the everted aff-1 vulva (arrowhead). All panels are at the same magnification; the scale bar corresponds to 5 μm.