Migration of Drosophila germ cells: analysis using enhancer trap lines.

Cell migration is a common feature of development. In order to understand more about the factors that control these movements we have embarked on further analysis of the migration of Drosophila germ cells. This process involves passage of the germ cells across the gut primordium and migration toward the mesoderm where the somatic gonad forms. We are particularly interested in the early phase of this migration when the germ cells interact with the amnioproctodeal invagination, the developing gut, before entering into association with the mesoderm. We will summarize the results of our and other studies of these events before describing a number of enhancer trap lines which show expression in the amnioproctodeal invagination during the early phase of germ cell migration. These reveal more about the complexity of this tissue and suggest this tissue is capable of guiding the early phase of germ cell migration.