Multiple signaling interactions coordinate collective cell migration of the posterior lateral line primordium

Cell migration is crucial for the embryonic development and homeostatic maintenance of multicellular animals.  Although in many cases cells migrate as individuals, migration of adherent cellular clusters, sheets and chains is a fundamental morphogenetic process used to generate three-dimensional forms in the developing embryo.  Collective cell migration underlies many important developmental events including gastrulation, the fusion of the two primary heart fields in vertebrate development, during blood vessel formation, wound healing,  Drosophila tracheal development and border cell migration during oogenesis. Understanding collective migration also has clinical importance, as tumor invasion and metastasis often involves collective migration of cancer cells.