Problemes de morphogenese cuticulaire chez les crustaces

The crustacean integument is an excellent model for the study of cuticular morphogenesis, at different organization levels. At the supermolecular level, subunits of chitin and protein assemble and show the organization of a stabilized liquid crystal. At higher levels corresponding to cells and cells populations, several controls are involved in the fine architecture of the epicuticle, in the mineral distribution and in characters which concern the whole animal, such as isometric or allometric growth.