Spatial regulation of cell adhesion in the Drosophila wing is mediated by Delilah, a potent activator of βPS integrin expression

► The bHLH protein Dei is an important regulator of cell adhesion in Drosophila. ► Embryonic expression of Dei is restricted to various types of attachment cells. ► In the wing Dei is expressed in intervein cells and is excluded from veins. ► In dei mutants the wing layers fail to adhere and blisters are formed. ► Dei affects cell adhesion by positively regulating βPS-integrin expression. ► Dei does not affect similarly the expression of αPS1 and αPS2 integrins.