Shining a light on extracellular matrix dynamics in vivo

The extracellular matrix is involved in facilitating morphogenesis during development in many contexts. Its role as a stable structure that supports, constrains and acts a substrate for migrating cells in developing tissues is well known and explored. However, recent studies that image fluorescently tagged matrix proteins in developing embryos and tissues, show more dynamic characteristics of matrices in diverse developmental contexts. In this review, we discuss new insights revealed by live-imaging of matrix proteins that help with the understanding of the dynamics of matrix deposition, degradation, turnover and rearrangement. Further, we discuss the mechanisms by which matrix dynamics can influence morphogenesis during development. We present our view on how the field can move in the future and what live-imaging approaches in diverse model organisms can contribute to this exciting area of developmental biology