The Drosophila embryo is a model to study single-cell wound healing. Surface projections (A) and orthogonal sections (C) of early embryos expressing actin and histone (sGMCA; His2Av-mRFP). Nuclear cycle is indicated. (B) Cartoon depicting the embryo stages shown in A. (D and D′) Actin accumulates at the cell wound edge (arrows). Time-lapse series of surface projections (D) and cross sections (D′) of embryos expressing actin (sGMCA). Dotted line in D indicates the plane of the cross section. (E) Analysis of the phases of single cell wound repair (n = 14; results are given as means ± SEM). (F) Effects of wound size in cell wound repair. (small, n = 16; medium, n = 14; large, n = 7). (G–H) Confocal images of wound repair in embryos expressing actin and plasma membrane markers (sChMCA; GFP-Spider) and treated with Lat B (n = 6). Left panel shows actin depolymerization before wounding (circle indicates the ablation site). (G′) Kymograph showing failure of actin cable assembly (W, wound). (G′′) Actin and membrane recruitment are impaired. (H) In embryos exhibiting partial actin depolymerization, the actin cable is assembled in regions of the wound edge richer in actin. (I and I′) Image of a syncytial embryo expressing GFP–α-tubulin. (J and J′) Time series after wounding in embryos treated with colchicine (sGMCA). (J′) Kymograph analysis. (J′′) Ring width quantification (control = 8, colch = 8; P = 0.0003). Bars: (A, D, G, H, I, and J) 20 µm; (C, D′, G′, and I′) 10 µm; (G′′ and J′) 5 µm.