1
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Sato N, Rosa VS, Makhlouf A, Kretzmer H, Sampath Kumar A, Grosswendt S, Mattei AL, Courbot O, Wolf S, Boulanger J, Langevin F, Wiacek M, Karpinski D, Elosegui-Artola A, Meissner A, Zernicka-Goetz M, Shahbazi MN. Basal delamination during mouse gastrulation primes pluripotent cells for differentiation. Dev Cell 2024; 59:1252-1268.e13. [PMID: 38579720 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The blueprint of the mammalian body plan is laid out during gastrulation, when a trilaminar embryo is formed. This process entails a burst of proliferation, the ingression of embryonic epiblast cells at the primitive streak, and their priming toward primitive streak fates. How these different events are coordinated remains unknown. Here, we developed and characterized a 3D culture of self-renewing mouse embryonic cells that captures the main transcriptional and architectural features of the early gastrulating mouse epiblast. Using this system in combination with microfabrication and in vivo experiments, we found that proliferation-induced crowding triggers delamination of cells that express high levels of the apical polarity protein aPKC. Upon delamination, cells become more sensitive to Wnt signaling and upregulate the expression of primitive streak markers such as Brachyury. This mechanistic coupling between ingression and differentiation ensures that the right cell types become specified at the right place during embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanami Sato
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Viviane S Rosa
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Aly Makhlouf
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Helene Kretzmer
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Grosswendt
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Olivia Courbot
- Cell and Tissue Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Physics, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Steffen Wolf
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | | | - Michal Wiacek
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | - Alberto Elosegui-Artola
- Cell and Tissue Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Physics, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | | | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EL, UK; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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2
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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3
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Amadei G, Glover DM. Behind the developing brains and beating hearts of stem cell-derived embryo models. Open Biol 2023; 13:220325. [PMID: 36630196 PMCID: PMC9833437 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies over the past decade have shown how stem cells representing embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues of the mouse can self-assemble in the culture dish to recapitulate an astonishing part of early embryonic development. A systematic analysis has demonstrated how pluripotent embryonic stem cells can be induced to behave like the implanting epiblast; how they can interact with trophectoderm stem cells to form a patterned structure resembling the implanting embryo prior to gastrulation; and how the third stem cell type-extra-embryonic endoderm cells-can be incorporated to generate structures that undergo the cell movements and gene expression patterns of gastrulation. Moreover, such stem cell-derived embryo models can proceed to neurulation and establish progenitors for all parts of the brain and neural tube, somites, beating heart structures and gut tube. They develop within extra-embryonic yolk sacs that initiate haematopoiesis. Here we trace this journey of discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David M Glover
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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4
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Pfeffer PL. Alternative mammalian strategies leading towards gastrulation: losing polar trophoblast (Rauber's layer) or gaining an epiblast cavity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210254. [PMID: 36252216 PMCID: PMC9574635 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Using embryological data from 14 mammalian orders, the hypothesis is presented that in placental mammals, epiblast cavitation and polar trophoblast loss are alternative developmental solutions to shield the central epiblast from extraembryonic signalling. It is argued that such reciprocal signalling between the edge of the epiblast and the adjoining polar trophoblast or edge of the mural trophoblast or with the amniotic ectoderm is necessary for the induction of gastrulation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L. Pfeffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington 6010, New Zealand
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5
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Balachandra S, Sarkar S, Amodeo AA. The Nuclear-to-Cytoplasmic Ratio: Coupling DNA Content to Cell Size, Cell Cycle, and Biosynthetic Capacity. Annu Rev Genet 2022; 56:165-185. [PMID: 35977407 PMCID: PMC10165727 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-080320-030537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Though cell size varies between different cells and across species, the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio is largely maintained across species and within cell types. A cell maintains a relatively constant N/C ratio by coupling DNA content, nuclear size, and cell size. We explore how cells couple cell division and growth to DNA content. In some cases, cells use DNA as a molecular yardstick to control the availability of cell cycle regulators. In other cases, DNA sets a limit for biosynthetic capacity. Developmentally programmed variations in the N/C ratio for a given cell type suggest that a specific N/C ratio is required to respond to given physiological demands. Recent observations connecting decreased N/C ratios with cellular senescence indicate that maintaining the proper N/C ratio is essential for proper cellular functioning. Together, these findings suggest a causative, not simply correlative, role for the N/C ratio in regulating cell growth and cell cycle progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruthi Balachandra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA; ,
| | - Sharanya Sarkar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA;
| | - Amanda A Amodeo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA; ,
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6
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Choudhury MI, Benson MA, Sun SX. Trans-epithelial fluid flow and mechanics of epithelial morphogenesis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:146-159. [PMID: 35659163 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Active fluid transport across epithelial monolayers is emerging as a major driving force of tissue morphogenesis in a variety of healthy and diseased systems, as well as during embryonic development. Cells use directional transport of ions and osmotic gradients to drive fluid flow across the cell surface, in the process also building up fluid pressure. The basic physics of this process is described by the osmotic engine model, which also underlies actin-independent cell migration. Recently, the trans-epithelial fluid flux and the hydraulic pressure gradient have been explicitly measured for a variety of cellular and tissue model systems across various species. For the kidney, it was shown that tubular epithelial cells behave as active mechanical fluid pumps: the trans-epithelial fluid flux depends on the hydraulic pressure difference across the epithelial layer. When a stall pressure is reached, the fluid flux vanishes. Hydraulic forces generated from active fluid pumping are important in tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis, and could also underlie multiple morphogenic events seen in other developmental contexts. In this review, we highlight findings that examined the role of trans-epithelial fluid flux and hydraulic pressure gradient in driving tissue-scale morphogenesis. We also review organ pathophysiology due to impaired fluid pumping and the loss of hydraulic pressure sensing at the cellular scale. Finally, we draw an analogy between cellular fluidic pumps and a connected network of water pumps in a city. The dynamics of fluid transport in an active and adaptive network is determined globally at the systemic level, and transport in such a network is best when each pump is operating at its optimal efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ikbal Choudhury
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Institute of NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Morgan A Benson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Institute of NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Sean X Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Institute of NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States.
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7
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Nichols J, Lima A, Rodríguez TA. Cell competition and the regulative nature of early mammalian development. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:1018-1030. [PMID: 35803224 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian embryo exhibits a remarkable plasticity that allows it to correct for the presence of aberrant cells, adjust its growth so that its size is in accordance with its developmental stage, or integrate cells of another species to form fully functional organs. Here, we will discuss the contribution that cell competition, a quality control that eliminates viable cells that are less fit than their neighbors, makes to this plasticity. We will do this by reviewing the roles that cell competition plays in the early mammalian embryo and how they contribute to ensure normal development of the embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nichols
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.
| | - Ana Lima
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Tristan A Rodríguez
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
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8
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Mau KHT, Karimlou D, Barneda D, Brochard V, Royer C, Leeke B, de Souza RA, Pailles M, Percharde M, Srinivas S, Jouneau A, Christian M, Azuara V. Dynamic enlargement and mobilization of lipid droplets in pluripotent cells coordinate morphogenesis during mouse peri-implantation development. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3861. [PMID: 35790717 PMCID: PMC9256688 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31323-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian pre-implantation embryos accumulate substantial lipids, which are stored in lipid droplets (LDs). Despite the fundamental roles of lipids in many cellular functions, the significance of building-up LDs for the developing embryo remains unclear. Here we report that the accumulation and mobilization of LDs upon implantation are causal in the morphogenesis of the pluripotent epiblast and generation of the pro-amniotic cavity in mouse embryos, a critical step for all subsequent development. We show that the CIDEA protein, found abundantly in adipocytes, enhances lipid storage in blastocysts and pluripotent stem cells by promoting LD enlargement through fusion. The LD-stored lipids are mobilized into lysosomes at the onset of lumenogenesis, but without CIDEA are prematurely degraded by cytosolic lipases. Loss of lipid storage or inactivation of lipophagy leads to the aberrant formation of multiple cavities within disorganised epithelial structures. Thus, our study reveals an unexpected role for LDs in orchestrating tissue remodelling and uncovers underappreciated facets of lipid metabolism in peri-implantation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- King Hang Tommy Mau
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Donja Karimlou
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - David Barneda
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Vincent Brochard
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, 78350, France
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maison-Alfort, 94700, France
| | - Christophe Royer
- Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Bryony Leeke
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Roshni A de Souza
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mélanie Pailles
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, 78350, France
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maison-Alfort, 94700, France
| | - Michelle Percharde
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7TY, UK
| | - Alice Jouneau
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, 78350, France
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maison-Alfort, 94700, France
| | - Mark Christian
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Véronique Azuara
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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9
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Maheden K, Zhang VW, Shakiba N. The Field of Cell Competition Comes of Age: Semantics and Technological Synergy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:891569. [PMID: 35646896 PMCID: PMC9132545 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.891569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells experience many selective pressures which shape their cellular populations, potentially pushing them to skew towards dominance of a few break-through clones. An evolutionarily conserved answer to curb these aberrant selective pressures is cell competition, the elimination of a subset of cells by their neighbours in a seemingly homogenous population. Cell competition in mammalian systems is a relatively recent discovery that has now been observed across many tissue systems, such as embryonic, haematopoietic, intestinal, and epithelial compartments. With this rapidly growing field, there is a need to revisit and standardize the terminology used, much of which has been co-opted from evolutionary biology. Further, the implications of cell competition across biological scales in organisms have been difficult to capture. In this review, we make three key points. One, we propose new nomenclature to standardize concepts across dispersed studies of different types of competition, each of which currently use the same terminology to describe different phenomena. Second, we highlight the challenges in capturing information flow across biological scales. Third, we challenge the field to incorporate next generation technologies into the cell competition toolkit to bridge these gaps. As the field of cell competition matures, synergy between cutting edge tools will help elucidate the molecular events which shape cellular growth and death dynamics, allowing a deeper examination of this evolutionarily conserved mechanism at the core of multicellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nika Shakiba
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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10
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Gordeeva O, Gordeev A, Erokhov P. Archetypal Architecture Construction, Patterning, and Scaling Invariance in a 3D Embryoid Body Differentiation Model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:852071. [PMID: 35573693 PMCID: PMC9091174 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.852071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-organized patterning and architecture construction studying is a priority goal for fundamental developmental and stem cell biology. To study the spatiotemporal patterning of pluripotent stem cells of different origins, we developed a three-dimensional embryoid body (EB) differentiation model quantifying volumetric parameters and investigated how the EB architecture formation, patterning, and scaling depend on the proliferation, cavitation, and differentiation dynamics, external environmental factors, and cell numbers. We identified three similar spatiotemporal patterns in the EB architectures, regardless of cell origin, which constitute the EB archetype and mimick the pre-gastrulation embryonic patterns. We found that the EB patterning depends strongly on cellular positional information, culture media factor/morphogen content, and free diffusion from the external environment and between EB cell layers. However, the EB archetype formation is independent of the EB size and initial cell numbers forming EBs; therefore, it is capable of scaling invariance and patterning regulation. Our findings indicate that the underlying principles of reaction-diffusion and positional information concepts can serve as the basis for EB architecture construction, patterning, and scaling. Thus, the 3D EB differentiation model represents a highly reproducible and reliable platform for experimental and theoretical research on developmental and stem cell biology issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Gordeeva
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- *Correspondence: Olga Gordeeva,
| | - Andrey Gordeev
- National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Pavel Erokhov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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11
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Tiwari P, Rengarajan H, Saunders TE. Scaling of internal organs during Drosophila embryonic development. Biophys J 2021; 120:4264-4276. [PMID: 34087212 PMCID: PMC8516638 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species show a diverse range of sizes; for example, domestic dogs have large variation in body mass. Yet, the internal structure of the organism remains similar, i.e., the system scales to organism size. Drosophila melanogaster has been a powerful model system for exploring scaling mechanisms. In the early embryo, gene expression boundaries scale very precisely to embryo length. Later in development, the adult wings grow with remarkable symmetry and scale well with animal size. Yet, our knowledge of whether internal organs initially scale to embryo size remains largely unknown. Here, we utilize artificially small Drosophila embryos to explore how three critical internal organs-the heart, hindgut, and ventral nerve cord (VNC)-adapt to changes in embryo morphology. We find that the heart scales precisely with embryo length. Intriguingly, reduction in cardiac cell length, rather than number, appears to be important in controlling heart length. The hindgut, which is the first chiral organ to form, displays scaling with embryo size under large-scale changes in the artificially smaller embryos but shows few hallmarks of scaling within wild-type size variation. Finally, the VNC only displays weak scaling behavior; even large changes in embryo geometry result in only small shifts in VNC length. This suggests that the VNC may have an intrinsic minimal length that is largely independent of embryo length. Overall, our work shows that internal organs can adapt to embryo size changes in Drosophila, but the extent to which they scale varies significantly between organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhat Tiwari
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A(∗)Star, Singapore, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
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12
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Posfai E, Lanner F, Mulas C, Leitch HG. All models are wrong, but some are useful: Establishing standards for stem cell-based embryo models. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1117-1141. [PMID: 33979598 PMCID: PMC8185978 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Detailed studies of the embryo allow an increasingly mechanistic understanding of development, which has proved of profound relevance to human disease. The last decade has seen in vitro cultured stem cell-based models of embryo development flourish, which provide an alternative to the embryo for accessible experimentation. However, the usefulness of any stem cell-based embryo model will be determined by how accurately it reflects in vivo embryonic development, and/or the extent to which it facilitates new discoveries. Stringent benchmarking of embryo models is thus an important consideration for this growing field. Here we provide an overview of means to evaluate both the properties of stem cells, the building blocks of most embryo models, as well as the usefulness of current and future in vitro embryo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Posfai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Fredrik Lanner
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden; Ming Wai Lau Center for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm node, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carla Mulas
- Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Harry G Leitch
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
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