ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the role of fibronectin as a representative of the kinds of cell-matrix interactions that occur and their functional sequelae. It considers general questions regarding the role of extracellular matrix in developmental processes. The chapter also discusses in vitro models and their relevance to in vivo phenomena. It examines specific tissue systems where fibronectin has been shown to play a role. Morphogenesis involves translocations of cells in three dimensions over time. Development of form in a multicellular organism begins with cell division to produce a population of cells from the zygote. The role of fibronectin in cell migration appears to be highly conserved through evolution. The neural crest is a transient structure arising in vertebrate embryos when the neural folds appose to form the neural tube. The limb bud is another system in which fibronectin is associated with selection between potential phenotypes.
