DrosophilaMyoblast Fusion: Invasion and Resistance for the Ultimate Union

Abstract

Cell–cell fusion is indispensable for creating life and building syncytial tissues and organs. Ever since the discovery of cell–cell fusion, how cells join together to form zygotes and multinucleated syncytia has remained a fundamental question in cell and developmental biology. In the past two decades, Drosophila myoblast fusion has been used as a powerful genetic model to unravel mechanisms underlying cell–cell fusion in vivo. Many evolutionarily conserved fusion-promoting factors have been identified and so has a surprising and conserved cellular mechanism. In this review, we revisit key findings in Drosophila myoblast fusion and highlight the critical roles of cellular invasion and resistance in driving cell membrane fusion. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics Volume 53 is November 25, 2019. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.