1
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Gillard G, Röper K. β-H-Spectrin is a key component of an apical-medial hub of proteins during cell wedging in tube morphogenesis. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261946. [PMID: 38988298 PMCID: PMC11361641 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Coordinated cell shape changes are a major driver of tissue morphogenesis, with apical constriction of epithelial cells leading to tissue bending. We previously identified that interplay between the apical-medial actomyosin, which drives apical constriction, and the underlying longitudinal microtubule array has a key role during tube budding of salivary glands in the Drosophila embryo. At this microtubule-actomyosin interface, a hub of proteins accumulates, and we have shown before that this hub includes the microtubule-actin crosslinker Shot and the microtubule minus-end-binding protein Patronin. Here, we identify two actin-crosslinkers, β-heavy (H)-Spectrin (also known as Karst) and Filamin (also known as Cheerio), and the multi-PDZ-domain protein Big bang as components of the protein hub. We show that tissue-specific degradation of β-H-Spectrin leads to reduction of apical-medial F-actin, Shot, Patronin and Big bang, as well as concomitant defects in apical constriction, but that residual Patronin is still sufficient to assist microtubule reorganisation. We find that, unlike Patronin and Shot, neither β-H-Spectrin nor Big bang require microtubules for their localisation. β-H-Spectrin is instead recruited via binding to apical-medial phosphoinositides, and overexpression of the C-terminal pleckstrin homology domain-containing region of β-H-Spectrin (β-H-33) displaces endogenous β-H-Spectrin and leads to strong morphogenetic defects. This protein hub therefore requires the synergy and coincidence of membrane- and microtubule-associated components for its assembly and function in sustaining apical constriction during tubulogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghislain Gillard
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Katja Röper
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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2
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Serrano Nájera G, Plum AM, Steventon B, Weijer CJ, Serra M. Control of Modular Tissue Flows Shaping the Embryo in Avian Gastrulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.04.601785. [PMID: 39026830 PMCID: PMC11257462 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.04.601785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Avian gastrulation requires coordinated flows of thousands of cells to form the body plan. We quantified these flows using their fundamental kinematic units: one attractor and two repellers constituting its Dynamic Morphoskeleton (DM). We have also elucidated the mechanistic origin of the attractor, marking the primitive streak (PS), and controlled its shape, inducing gastrulation flows in the chick embryo that are typical of other vertebrates. However, the origins of repellers and dynamic embryo shape remain unclear. Here, we address these questions using active matter physics and experiments. Repeller 1, separating the embryo proper (EP) from extraembryonic (EE) tissues, arises from the tug-of-war between EE epiboly and EP isotropic myosin-induced active stress. Repeller 2, bisecting the anterior and posterior PS and associated with embryo shape change, arises from anisotropic myosin-induced active intercalation in the mesendoderm. Combining mechanical confinement with inhibition of mesendoderm induction, we eliminated either one or both repellers, as predicted by our model. Our results reveal a remarkable modularity of avian gastrulation flows delineated by the DM, uncovering the mechanistic roles of EE epiboly, EP active constriction, mesendoderm intercalation and ingression. These findings offer a new perspective for deconstructing morphogenetic flows, uncovering their modular origin, and aiding synthetic morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex M. Plum
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ben Steventon
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Cornelis J. Weijer
- Division of Molec. Cell and Dev. Biology, School of Life Sciences, Univ. of Dundee, UK
| | - Mattia Serra
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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3
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Blanchard GB, Scarpa E, Muresan L, Sanson B. Mechanical stress combines with planar polarised patterning during metaphase to orient embryonic epithelial cell divisions. Development 2024; 151:dev202862. [PMID: 38639390 PMCID: PMC11165716 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The planar orientation of cell division (OCD) is important for epithelial morphogenesis and homeostasis. Here, we ask how mechanics and antero-posterior (AP) patterning combine to influence the first divisions after gastrulation in the Drosophila embryonic epithelium. We analyse hundreds of cell divisions and show that stress anisotropy, notably from compressive forces, can reorient division directly in metaphase. Stress anisotropy influences the OCD by imposing metaphase cell elongation, despite mitotic rounding, and overrides interphase cell elongation. In strongly elongated cells, the mitotic spindle adapts its length to, and hence its orientation is constrained by, the cell long axis. Alongside mechanical cues, we find a tissue-wide bias of the mitotic spindle orientation towards AP-patterned planar polarised Myosin-II. This spindle bias is lost in an AP-patterning mutant. Thus, a patterning-induced mitotic spindle orientation bias overrides mechanical cues in mildly elongated cells, whereas in strongly elongated cells the spindle is constrained close to the high stress axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy B Blanchard
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Elena Scarpa
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Leila Muresan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
- Cambridge Advanced Imaging Centre, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Bénédicte Sanson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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4
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Lye CM, Blanchard GB, Evans J, Nestor-Bergmann A, Sanson B. Polarised cell intercalation during Drosophila axis extension is robust to an orthogonal pull by the invaginating mesoderm. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002611. [PMID: 38683880 PMCID: PMC11081494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
As tissues grow and change shape during animal development, they physically pull and push on each other, and these mechanical interactions can be important for morphogenesis. During Drosophila gastrulation, mesoderm invagination temporally overlaps with the convergence and extension of the ectodermal germband; the latter is caused primarily by Myosin II-driven polarised cell intercalation. Here, we investigate the impact of mesoderm invagination on ectoderm extension, examining possible mechanical and mechanotransductive effects on Myosin II recruitment and polarised cell intercalation. We find that the germband ectoderm is deformed by the mesoderm pulling in the orthogonal direction to germband extension (GBE), showing mechanical coupling between these tissues. However, we do not find a significant change in Myosin II planar polarisation in response to mesoderm invagination, nor in the rate of junction shrinkage leading to neighbour exchange events. We conclude that the main cellular mechanism of axis extension, polarised cell intercalation, is robust to the mesoderm invagination pull. We find, however, that mesoderm invagination slows down the rate of anterior-posterior cell elongation that contributes to axis extension, counteracting the tension from the endoderm invagination, which pulls along the direction of GBE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M. Lye
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Guy B. Blanchard
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny Evans
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Nestor-Bergmann
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Bénédicte Sanson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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5
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Cupo C, Allan C, Ailiani V, Kasza KE. Signatures of structural disorder in developing epithelial tissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.579900. [PMID: 38405955 PMCID: PMC10888831 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.579900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial cells generate functional tissues in developing embryos through collective movements and shape changes. In some morphogenetic events, a tissue dramatically reorganizes its internal structure - often generating high degrees of structural disorder - to accomplish changes in tissue shape. However, the origins of structural disorder in epithelia and what roles it might play in morphogenesis are poorly understood. We study this question in the Drosophila germband epithelium, which undergoes dramatic changes in internal structure as cell rearrangements drive elongation of the embryo body axis. Using two order parameters that quantify volumetric and shear disorder, we show that structural disorder increases during body axis elongation and is strongly linked with specific developmental processes. Both disorder metrics begin to increase around the onset of axis elongation, but then plateau at values that are maintained throughout the process. Notably, the disorder plateau values for volumetric disorder are similar to those for random cell packings, suggesting this may reflect a limit on tissue behavior. In mutant embryos with disrupted external stresses from the ventral furrow, both disorder metrics reach wild-type maximum disorder values with a delay, correlating with delays in cell rearrangements. In contrast, in mutants with disrupted internal stresses and cell rearrangements, volumetric disorder is reduced compared to wild type, whereas shear disorder depends on specific external stress patterns. Together, these findings demonstrate that internal and external stresses both contribute to epithelial tissue disorder and suggest that the maximum values of disorder in a developing tissue reflect physical or biological limits on morphogenesis.
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6
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Hertaeg MJ, Fielding SM, Bi D. Discontinuous Shear Thickening in Biological Tissue Rheology. PHYSICAL REVIEW. X 2024; 14:011027. [PMID: 38994232 PMCID: PMC11238743 DOI: 10.1103/physrevx.14.011027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
During embryonic morphogenesis, tissues undergo dramatic deformations in order to form functional organs. Similarly, in adult animals, living cells and tissues are continually subjected to forces and deformations. Therefore, the success of embryonic development and the proper maintenance of physiological functions rely on the ability of cells to withstand mechanical stresses as well as their ability to flow in a collective manner. During these events, mechanical perturbations can originate from active processes at the single-cell level, competing with external stresses exerted by surrounding tissues and organs. However, the study of tissue mechanics has been somewhat limited to either the response to external forces or to intrinsic ones. In this work, we use an active vertex model of a 2D confluent tissue to study the interplay of external deformations that are applied globally to a tissue with internal active stresses that arise locally at the cellular level due to cell motility. We elucidate, in particular, the way in which this interplay between globally external and locally internal active driving determines the emergent mechanical properties of the tissue as a whole. For a tissue in the vicinity of a solid-fluid jamming or unjamming transition, we uncover a host of fascinating rheological phenomena, including yielding, shear thinning, continuous shear thickening, and discontinuous shear thickening. These model predictions provide a framework for understanding the recently observed nonlinear rheological behaviors in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Hertaeg
- Department of Physics, Durham University, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Suzanne M Fielding
- Department of Physics, Durham University, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Dapeng Bi
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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7
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Clarke DN, Martin AC. EGFR-dependent actomyosin patterning coordinates morphogenetic movements between tissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573057. [PMID: 38187543 PMCID: PMC10769333 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The movements that give rise to the body's structure are powered by cell shape changes and rearrangements that are coordinated at supracellular scales. How such cellular coordination arises and integrates different morphogenetic programs is unclear. Using quantitative imaging, we found a complex pattern of adherens junction (AJ) levels in the ectoderm prior to gastrulation onset in Drosophila. AJ intensity exhibited a double-sided gradient, with peaks at the dorsal midline and ventral neuroectoderm. We show that this dorsal-ventral AJ pattern is regulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling and that this signal is required for ectoderm cell movement during mesoderm invagination and axis extension. We identify AJ levels and junctional actomyosin as downstream effectors of EGFR signaling. Overall, our study demonstrates a mechanism of coordination between tissue folding and convergent extension that facilitates embryo-wide gastrulation movements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam C Martin
- Dept. of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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8
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Lien JC, Wang YL. Cyclic stretching combined with cell-cell adhesion is sufficient for inducing cell intercalation. Biophys J 2023; 122:3146-3158. [PMID: 37408306 PMCID: PMC10432222 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the important role of cell intercalation within a collective has long been recognized particularly for morphogenesis, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here we investigate the possibility that cellular responses to cyclic stretching play a major role in this process. By applying synchronized imaging and cyclic stretching to epithelial cells cultured on micropatterned polyacrylamide (PAA) substrates, we discovered that uniaxial cyclic stretching induces cell intercalation along with cell shape change and cell-cell interfacial remodeling. The process involved intermediate steps as previously reported for cell intercalation during embryonic morphogenesis, including the appearance of cell vertices, anisotropic vertex resolution, and directional expansion of cell-cell interface. Using mathematical modeling, we further found that cell shape change in conjunction with dynamic cell-cell adhesions was sufficient to account for the observations. Further investigation with small-molecule inhibitors indicated that disruption of myosin II activities suppressed cyclic stretching-induced intercalation while inhibiting the appearance of oriented vertices. Inhibition of Wnt signaling did not suppress stretch-induced cell shape change but disrupted cell intercalation and vertex resolution. Our results suggest that cyclic stretching, by inducing cell shape change and reorientation in the presence of dynamic cell-cell adhesions, can induce at least some aspects of cell intercalation and that this process is dependent in distinct ways on myosin II activities and Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jui-Chien Lien
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yu-Li Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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9
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Herrera-Perez RM, Cupo C, Allan C, Dagle AB, Kasza KE. Tissue flows are tuned by actomyosin-dependent mechanics in developing embryos. PRX LIFE 2023; 1:013004. [PMID: 38736460 PMCID: PMC11086709 DOI: 10.1103/prxlife.1.013004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Rapid epithelial tissue flows are essential to building and shaping developing embryos. However, the mechanical properties of embryonic epithelial tissues and the factors that control these properties are not well understood. Actomyosin generates contractile tensions and contributes to the mechanical properties of cells and cytoskeletal networks in vitro, but it remains unclear how the levels and patterns of actomyosin activity contribute to embryonic epithelial tissue mechanics in vivo. To dissect the roles of cell-generated tensions in the mechanics of flowing epithelial tissues, we use optogenetic tools to manipulate actomyosin contractility with spatiotemporal precision in the Drosophila germband epithelium, which rapidly flows during body axis elongation. We find that manipulating actomyosin-dependent tensions by either optogenetic activation or deactivation of actomyosin alters the solid-fluid mechanical properties of the germband epithelium, leading to changes in cell rearrangements and tissue-level flows. Optogenetically activating actomyosin leads to increases in the overall level but decreases in the anisotropy of tension in the tissue, whereas optogenetically deactivating actomyosin leads to decreases in both the level and anisotropy of tension compared to in wild-type embryos. We find that optogenetically activating actomyosin results in more solid-like (less fluid-like) tissue properties, which is associated with reduced cell rearrangements and tissue flow compared to in wild-type embryos. Optogenetically deactivating actomyosin also results in more solid-like properties than in wild-type embryos but less solid-like properties compared to optogenetically activating actomyosin. Together, these findings indicate that increasing the overall tension level is associated with more solid-like properties in tissues that are relatively isotropic, whereas high tension anisotropy fluidizes the tissue. Our results reveal that epithelial tissue flows in developing embryos involve the coordinated actomyosin-dependent regulation of the mechanical properties of tissues and the tensions driving them to flow in order to achieve rapid tissue remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Cupo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Cole Allan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Alicia B Dagle
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Karen E Kasza
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
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10
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Chahda JS, Ambrosi P, Mizutani CM. The nested embryonic dorsal domains of BMP-target genes are not scaled to size during the evolution of Drosophila species. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2023; 340:131-142. [PMID: 35451554 PMCID: PMC9587137 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Egg size is a fast-evolving trait among Drosophilids expected to change the spatial distribution of morphogens that pattern the embryonic axes. Here we asked whether the patterning of the dorsal region of the embryo by the Decapentaplegic/Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (DPP/BMP-4) gradient is scaled among Drosophila species with different egg sizes. This region specifies the extra-embryonic tissue amnioserosa and the ectoderm. We find that the entire dorsal region scales with embryo size, but the gene expression patterns regulated by DPP are not proportional, suggesting that the DPP gradient is differentially scaled during evolution. To further test whether the DPP gradient can scale or not in Drosophila melanogaster, we created embryos with expanded dorsal regions that mimic changes in scale seen in other species and measured the resulting domains of DPP-target genes. We find that the proportions of these domains are not maintained, suggesting that the DPP gradient is unable to scale in the embryo. These and previous findings suggest that the embryonic dorso-ventral patterning lack scaling in the ventral and dorsal sides but is robust in the lateral region where the neuroectoderm is specified and two opposing gradients, Dorsal/NFkappa-B and DPP, intersect. We propose that the lack of scaling of the DPP gradient may contribute to changes in the size of the amnioserosa and the numbers of ectodermal cells with specific cortical tensions, which are expected to generate distinct mechanical forces for gastrulating embryos of different sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Sebastian Chahda
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Priscilla Ambrosi
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Claudia Mieko Mizutani
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Corresponding author:
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11
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Lefebvre MF, Claussen NH, Mitchell NP, Gustafson HJ, Streichan SJ. Geometric control of myosin II orientation during axis elongation. eLife 2023; 12:78787. [PMID: 36715100 PMCID: PMC9940909 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The actomyosin cytoskeleton is a crucial driver of morphogenesis. Yet how the behavior of large-scale cytoskeletal patterns in deforming tissues emerges from the interplay of geometry, genetics, and mechanics remains incompletely understood. Convergent extension in Drosophila melanogaster embryos provides the opportunity to establish a quantitative understanding of the dynamics of anisotropic non-muscle myosin II. Cell-scale analysis of protein localization in fixed embryos suggests that gene expression patterns govern myosin anisotropy via complex rules. However, technical limitations have impeded quantitative and dynamic studies of this process at the whole embryo level, leaving the role of geometry open. Here, we combine in toto live imaging with quantitative analysis of molecular dynamics to characterize the distribution of myosin anisotropy and the corresponding genetic patterning. We found pair rule gene expression continuously deformed, flowing with the tissue frame. In contrast, myosin anisotropy orientation remained approximately static and was only weakly deflected from the stationary dorsal-ventral axis of the embryo. We propose that myosin is recruited by a geometrically defined static source, potentially related to the embryo-scale epithelial tension, and account for transient deflections by cytoskeletal turnover and junction reorientation by flow. With only one parameter, this model quantitatively accounts for the time course of myosin anisotropy orientation in wild-type, twist, and even-skipped embryos, as well as embryos with perturbed egg geometry. Geometric patterning of the cytoskeleton suggests a simple physical strategy to ensure a robust flow and formation of shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F Lefebvre
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Nikolas H Claussen
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Noah P Mitchell
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
- Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Hannah J Gustafson
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Sebastian J Streichan
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
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12
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Christodoulou N, Skourides PA. Somitic mesoderm morphogenesis is necessary for neural tube closure during Xenopus development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1091629. [PMID: 36699010 PMCID: PMC9868421 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1091629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural tube closure is a fundamental process during vertebrate embryogenesis, which leads to the formation of the central nervous system. Defective neural tube closure leads to neural tube defects which are some of the most common human birth defects. While the intrinsic morphogenetic events shaping the neuroepithelium have been studied extensively, how tissues mechanically coupled with the neural plate influence neural tube closure remains poorly understood. Here, using Xenopus laevis embryos, live imaging in combination with loss of function experiments and morphometric analysis of fixed samples we explore the reciprocal mechanical communication between the neural plate and the somitic mesoderm and its impact on tissue morphogenesis. We show that although somitic mesoderm convergent extension occurs independently from neural plate morphogenesis neural tube closure depends on somitic mesoderm morphogenesis. Specifically, impaired somitic mesoderm remodelling results in defective apical constriction within the neuroepithelium and failure of neural tube closure. Last, our data reveal that mild abnormalities in somitic mesoderm and neural plate morphogenesis have a synergistic effect during neurulation, leading to severe neural tube closure defects. Overall, our data reveal that defective morphogenesis of tissues mechanically coupled with the neural plate can not only drastically exacerbate mild neural tube defects that may arise from abnormalities within the neural tissue but can also elicit neural tube defects even when the neural plate is itself free of inherent defects.
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13
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Erlich A, Étienne J, Fouchard J, Wyatt T. How dynamic prestress governs the shape of living systems, from the subcellular to tissue scale. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220038. [PMID: 36330322 PMCID: PMC9560792 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells and tissues change shape both to carry out their function and during pathology. In most cases, these deformations are driven from within the systems themselves. This is permitted by a range of molecular actors, such as active crosslinkers and ion pumps, whose activity is biologically controlled in space and time. The resulting stresses are propagated within complex and dynamical architectures like networks or cell aggregates. From a mechanical point of view, these effects can be seen as the generation of prestress or prestrain, resulting from either a contractile or growth activity. In this review, we present this concept of prestress and the theoretical tools available to conceptualize the statics and dynamics of living systems. We then describe a range of phenomena where prestress controls shape changes in biopolymer networks (especially the actomyosin cytoskeleton and fibrous tissues) and cellularized tissues. Despite the diversity of scale and organization, we demonstrate that these phenomena stem from a limited number of spatial distributions of prestress, which can be categorized as heterogeneous, anisotropic or differential. We suggest that in addition to growth and contraction, a third type of prestress-topological prestress-can result from active processes altering the microstructure of tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jocelyn Étienne
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LIPHY, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jonathan Fouchard
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, CNRS (UMR 7622), INSERM (URL 1156), 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tom Wyatt
- Wellcome Trust–Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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14
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Gustafson HJ, Claussen N, De Renzis S, Streichan SJ. Patterned mechanical feedback establishes a global myosin gradient. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7050. [PMID: 36396633 PMCID: PMC9672098 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34518-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis, the coordinated execution of developmental programs that shape embryos, raises many fundamental questions at the interface between physics and biology. In particular, how the dynamics of active cytoskeletal processes are coordinated across the surface of entire embryos to generate global cell flows is poorly understood. Two distinct regulatory principles have been identified: genetic programs and dynamic response to mechanical stimuli. Despite progress, disentangling these two contributions remains challenging. Here, we combine in toto light sheet microscopy with genetic and optogenetic perturbations of tissue mechanics to examine theoretically predicted dynamic recruitment of non-muscle myosin II to cell junctions during Drosophila embryogenesis. We find dynamic recruitment has a long-range impact on global myosin configuration, and the rate of junction deformation sets the rate of myosin recruitment. Mathematical modeling and high frequency analysis reveal myosin fluctuations on junctions around a mean value set by mechanical feedback. Our model accounts for the early establishment of the global myosin pattern at 80% fidelity. Taken together our results indicate spatially modulated mechanical feedback as a key regulatory input in the establishment of long-range gradients of cytoskeletal configurations and global tissue flow patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Gustafson
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
| | - Nikolas Claussen
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
| | - Stefano De Renzis
- grid.4709.a0000 0004 0495 846XEMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian J. Streichan
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
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15
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Sharrock TE, Evans J, Blanchard GB, Sanson B. Different temporal requirements for tartan and wingless in the formation of contractile interfaces at compartmental boundaries. Development 2022; 149:dev200292. [PMID: 36178136 PMCID: PMC9687003 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Compartmental boundaries physically separate developing tissues into distinct regions, which is fundamental for the organisation of the body plan in both insects and vertebrates. In many examples, this physical segregation is caused by a regulated increase in contractility of the actomyosin cortex at boundary cell-cell interfaces, a property important in developmental morphogenesis beyond compartmental boundary formation. We performed an unbiased screening approach to identify cell surface receptors required for actomyosin enrichment and polarisation at parasegmental boundaries (PSBs) in early Drosophila embryos, from the start of germband extension at gastrulation and throughout the germband extended stages (stages 6 to 11). First, we find that Tartan is required during germband extension for actomyosin enrichment at PSBs, confirming an earlier report. Next, by following in real time the dynamics of loss of boundary straightness in tartan mutant embryos compared with wild-type and ftz mutant embryos, we show that Tartan is required during germband extension but not beyond. We identify candidate genes that could take over from Tartan at PSBs and confirm that at germband extended stages, actomyosin enrichment at PSBs requires Wingless signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Sharrock
- Departmentof Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Anatomy Building, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Jenny Evans
- Departmentof Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Anatomy Building, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Guy B. Blanchard
- Departmentof Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Anatomy Building, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Bénédicte Sanson
- Departmentof Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Anatomy Building, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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16
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Trébeau C, de Monvel JB, Altay G, Tinevez JY, Etournay R. Extracting multiple surfaces from 3D microscopy images in complex biological tissues with the Zellige software tool. BMC Biol 2022; 20:183. [PMID: 35999534 PMCID: PMC9397159 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efficient tools allowing the extraction of 2D surfaces from 3D-microscopy data are essential for studies aiming to decipher the complex cellular choreography through which epithelium morphogenesis takes place during development. Most existing methods allow for the extraction of a single and smooth manifold of sufficiently high signal intensity and contrast, and usually fail when the surface of interest has a rough topography or when its localization is hampered by other surrounding structures of higher contrast. Multiple surface segmentation entails laborious manual annotations of the various surfaces separately. RESULTS As automating this task is critical in studies involving tissue-tissue or tissue-matrix interaction, we developed the Zellige software, which allows the extraction of a non-prescribed number of surfaces of varying inclination, contrast, and texture from a 3D image. The tool requires the adjustment of a small set of control parameters, for which we provide an intuitive interface implemented as a Fiji plugin. CONCLUSIONS As a proof of principle of the versatility of Zellige, we demonstrate its performance and robustness on synthetic images and on four different types of biological samples, covering a wide range of biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Trébeau
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm, Institut de l'Audition, F-75012, Paris, France
| | | | - Gizem Altay
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm, Institut de l'Audition, F-75012, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Tinevez
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Image Analysis Hub, F-75015, Paris, France.
| | - Raphaël Etournay
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm, Institut de l'Audition, F-75012, Paris, France.
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17
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Huang H, Liu J, Li M, Guo H, Zhu J, Zhu L, Wu S, Mo K, Huang Y, Tan J, Chen C, Wang B, Yu Y, Wang L, Liu Y, Ouyang H. Cis-regulatory chromatin loops analysis identifies GRHL3 as a master regulator of surface epithelium commitment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo5668. [PMID: 35857527 PMCID: PMC9278850 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the regulatory network of cell fate acquisition remains a major challenge. Using the induction of surface epithelium (SE) from human embryonic stem cells as a paradigm, we show that the dynamic changes in morphology-related genes (MRGs) closely correspond to SE fate transitions. The marked remodeling of cytoskeleton indicates the initiation of SE differentiation. By integrating promoter interactions, epigenomic features, and transcriptome, we delineate an SE-specific cis-regulatory network and identify grainyhead-like 3 (GRHL3) as an initiation factor sufficient to drive SE commitment. Mechanically, GRHL3 primes the SE chromatin accessibility landscape and activates SE-initiating gene expression. In addition, the evaluation of GRHL3-mediated promoter interactions unveils a positive feedback loop of GRHL3 and bone morphogenetic protein 4 on SE fate decisions. Our work proposes a concept that MRGs could be used to identify cell fate transitions and provides insights into regulatory principles of SE lineage development and stem cell-based regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jiafeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Mingsen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Huizhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Liqiong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Siqi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Kunlun Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Ying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jieying Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Chaoqun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Bofeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yankun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yizhi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Hong Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
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18
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Christodoulou N, Skourides PA. Distinct spatiotemporal contribution of morphogenetic events and mechanical tissue coupling during Xenopus neural tube closure. Development 2022; 149:275604. [PMID: 35662330 PMCID: PMC9340557 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube closure (NTC) is a fundamental process during vertebrate development and is indispensable for the formation of the central nervous system. Here, using Xenopus laevis embryos, live imaging, single-cell tracking, optogenetics and loss-of-function experiments, we examine the roles of convergent extension and apical constriction, and define the role of the surface ectoderm during NTC. We show that NTC is a two-stage process with distinct spatiotemporal contributions of convergent extension and apical constriction at each stage. Convergent extension takes place during the first stage and is spatially restricted at the posterior tissue, whereas apical constriction occurs during the second stage throughout the neural plate. We also show that the surface ectoderm is mechanically coupled with the neural plate and its movement during NTC is driven by neural plate morphogenesis. Finally, we show that an increase in surface ectoderm resistive forces is detrimental for neural plate morphogenesis. Summary: Detailed characterization of the contribution of distinct morphogenetic processes and mechanical tissue coupling during neural tube closure, a process indispensable for central nervous system formation in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neophytos Christodoulou
- University of Cyprus Department of Biological Sciences , , P.O. Box 20537, 2109 Nicosia , Cyprus
| | - Paris A. Skourides
- University of Cyprus Department of Biological Sciences , , P.O. Box 20537, 2109 Nicosia , Cyprus
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19
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Fierling J, John A, Delorme B, Torzynski A, Blanchard GB, Lye CM, Popkova A, Malandain G, Sanson B, Étienne J, Marmottant P, Quilliet C, Rauzi M. Embryo-scale epithelial buckling forms a propagating furrow that initiates gastrulation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3348. [PMID: 35688832 PMCID: PMC9187723 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30493-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell apical constriction driven by actomyosin contraction forces is a conserved mechanism during tissue folding in embryo development. While much is now understood of the molecular mechanism responsible for apical constriction and of the tissue-scale integration of the ensuing in-plane deformations, it is still not clear if apical actomyosin contraction forces are necessary or sufficient per se to drive tissue folding. To tackle this question, we use the Drosophila embryo model system that forms a furrow on the ventral side, initiating mesoderm internalization. Past computational models support the idea that cell apical contraction forces may not be sufficient and that active or passive cell apico-basal forces may be necessary to drive cell wedging leading to tissue furrowing. By using 3D computational modelling and in toto embryo image analysis and manipulation, we now challenge this idea and show that embryo-scale force balance at the tissue surface, rather than cell-autonomous shape changes, is necessary and sufficient to drive a buckling of the epithelial surface forming a furrow which propagates and initiates embryo gastrulation. Drosophila mesoderm invagination begins with the formation of a furrow. Here they show that a long-range mechanism, powered by actomyosin contraction between the embryo polar caps, works like a ‘cheese-cutter wire’ indenting the tissue surface and folding it into a propagating furrow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alphy John
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
| | | | | | - Guy B Blanchard
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Great-Britain, England
| | - Claire M Lye
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Great-Britain, England
| | - Anna Popkova
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
| | | | - Bénédicte Sanson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Great-Britain, England
| | | | | | | | - Matteo Rauzi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France.
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20
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Chowdhury F, Huang B, Wang N. Forces in stem cells and cancer stem cells. Cells Dev 2022; 170:203776. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2022.203776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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21
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Williams MK, Arur S. In preprints: buckling under pressure during gastrulation. Development 2022; 149:275338. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margot Kossmann Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Swathi Arur
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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22
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Koyama H, Suzuki M, Yasue N, Sasaki H, Ueno N, Fujimori T. Differential Cellular Stiffness Contributes to Tissue Elongation on an Expanding Surface. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:864135. [PMID: 35425767 PMCID: PMC9001851 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.864135] [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: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pattern formation and morphogenesis of cell populations is essential for successful embryogenesis. Steinberg proposed the differential adhesion hypothesis, and differences in cell–cell adhesion and interfacial tension have proven to be critical for cell sorting. Standard theoretical models such as the vertex model consider not only cell–cell adhesion/tension but also area elasticity of apical cell surfaces and viscous friction forces. However, the potential contributions of the latter two parameters to pattern formation and morphogenesis remain to be determined. In this theoretical study, we analyzed the effect of both area elasticity and the coefficient of friction on pattern formation and morphogenesis. We assumed the presence of two cell populations, one population of which is surrounded by the other. Both populations were placed on the surface of a uniformly expanding environment analogous to growing embryos, in which friction forces are exerted between cell populations and their expanding environment. When the area elasticity or friction coefficient in the cell cluster was increased relative to that of the surrounding cell population, the cell cluster was elongated. In comparison with experimental observations, elongation of the notochord in mice is consistent with the hypothesis based on the difference in area elasticity but not the difference in friction coefficient. Because area elasticity is an index of cellular stiffness, we propose that differential cellular stiffness may contribute to tissue elongation within an expanding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Koyama
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology (Div. Embryology, NIBB), Okazaki, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan.,Division of Morphogenesis, National Institute for Basic Biology (Div. Morphogenesis, NIBB), Okazaki, Japan.,Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University (ARC, Hiroshima Univ.), Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Naoko Yasue
- Division of Morphogenesis, National Institute for Basic Biology (Div. Morphogenesis, NIBB), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sasaki
- Laboratory for Embryogenesis, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University (FBS, Osaka Univ.), Suita, Japan
| | - Naoto Ueno
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan.,Division of Morphogenesis, National Institute for Basic Biology (Div. Morphogenesis, NIBB), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Fujimori
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology (Div. Embryology, NIBB), Okazaki, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Japan
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23
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Hart KC, Sim JY, Hopcroft MA, Cohen DJ, Tan J, Nelson WJ, Pruitt BL. An Easy-to-Fabricate Cell Stretcher Reveals Density-Dependent Mechanical Regulation of Collective Cell Movements in Epithelia. Cell Mol Bioeng 2021; 14:569-581. [PMID: 34900011 PMCID: PMC8630312 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-021-00689-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mechanical forces regulate many facets of cell and tissue biology. Studying the effects of forces on cells requires real-time observations of single- and multi-cell dynamics in tissue models during controlled external mechanical input. Many of the existing devices used to conduct these studies are costly and complicated to fabricate, which reduces the availability of these devices to many laboratories.
Methods We show how to fabricate a simple, low-cost, uniaxial stretching device, with readily available materials and instruments that is compatible with high-resolution time-lapse microscopy of adherent cell monolayers. In addition, we show how to construct a pressure controller that induces a repeatable degree of stretch in monolayers, as well as a custom MATLAB code to quantify individual cell strains. Results As an application note using this device, we show that uniaxial stretch slows down cellular movements in a mammalian epithelial monolayer in a cell density-dependent manner. We demonstrate that the effect on cell movement involves the relocalization of myosin downstream of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK). Conclusions This mechanical device provides a platform for broader involvement of engineers and biologists in this important area of cell and tissue biology. We used this device to demonstrate the mechanical regulation of collective cell movements in epithelia. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-021-00689-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C. Hart
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: IGM Biosciences, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
| | - Joo Yong Sim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, 04310 Republic of Korea
| | - Matthew A. Hopcroft
- Red Dog Research, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2002 Bioengineering Building, 494 UCEN Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
| | - Daniel J. Cohen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 USA
| | - Jiongyi Tan
- Department of Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
| | - W. James Nelson
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Beth L. Pruitt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2002 Bioengineering Building, 494 UCEN Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
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24
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Paci G, Mao Y. Forced into shape: Mechanical forces in Drosophila development and homeostasis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 120:160-170. [PMID: 34092509 PMCID: PMC8681862 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical forces play a central role in shaping tissues during development and maintaining epithelial integrity in homeostasis. In this review, we discuss the roles of mechanical forces in Drosophila development and homeostasis, starting from the interplay of mechanics with cell growth and division. We then discuss several examples of morphogenetic processes where complex 3D structures are shaped by mechanical forces, followed by a closer look at patterning processes. We also review the role of forces in homeostatic processes, including cell elimination and wound healing. Finally, we look at the interplay of mechanics and developmental robustness and discuss open questions in the field, as well as novel approaches that will help tackle them in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Paci
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yanlan Mao
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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25
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Sánchez-Corrales YE, Blanchard GB, Röper K. Correct regionalization of a tissue primordium is essential for coordinated morphogenesis. eLife 2021; 10:e72369. [PMID: 34723792 PMCID: PMC8612734 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During organ development, tubular organs often form from flat epithelial primordia. In the placodes of the forming tubes of the salivary glands in the Drosophila embryo, we previously identified spatially defined cell behaviors of cell wedging, tilting, and cell intercalation that are key to the initial stages of tube formation. Here, we address what the requirements are that ensure the continuous formation of a narrow symmetrical tube from an initially asymmetrical primordium whilst overall tissue geometry is constantly changing. We are using live-imaging and quantitative methods to compare wild-type placodes and mutants that either show disrupted cell behaviors or an initial symmetrical placode organization, with both resulting in severe impairment of the invagination. We find that early transcriptional patterning of key morphogenetic transcription factors drives the selective activation of downstream morphogenetic modules, such as GPCR signaling that activates apical-medial actomyosin activity to drive cell wedging at the future asymmetrically placed invagination point. Over time, transcription of key factors expands across the rest of the placode and cells switch their behavior from predominantly intercalating to predominantly apically constricting as their position approaches the invagination pit. Misplacement or enlargement of the initial invagination pit leads to early problems in cell behaviors that eventually result in a defective organ shape. Our work illustrates that the dynamic patterning of the expression of transcription factors and downstream morphogenetic effectors ensures positionally fixed areas of cell behavior with regards to the invagination point. This patterning in combination with the asymmetric geometrical setup ensures functional organ formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara E Sánchez-Corrales
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,Cambridge Biomedical CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Programme, Institute of Child Health, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Guy B Blanchard
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Katja Röper
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,Cambridge Biomedical CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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26
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Herrera-Perez RM, Cupo C, Allan C, Lin A, Kasza KE. Using optogenetics to link myosin patterns to contractile cell behaviors during convergent extension. Biophys J 2021; 120:4214-4229. [PMID: 34293302 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinct patterns of actomyosin contractility are often associated with particular epithelial tissue shape changes during development. For example, a planar-polarized pattern of myosin II localization regulated by Rho1 signaling during Drosophila body axis elongation is thought to drive cell behaviors that contribute to convergent extension. However, it is not well understood how specific aspects of a myosin pattern influence the multiple cell behaviors, including cell intercalation, cell shape changes, and apical cell area fluctuations, that simultaneously occur during morphogenesis. Here, we developed two optogenetic tools, optoGEF and optoGAP, to activate or deactivate Rho1 signaling, respectively. We used these tools to manipulate myosin patterns at the apical side of the germband epithelium during Drosophila axis elongation and analyzed the effects on contractile cell behaviors. We show that uniform activation or inactivation of Rho1 signaling across the apical surface of the germband is sufficient to disrupt the planar-polarized pattern of myosin at cell junctions on the timescale of 3-5 min, leading to distinct changes in junctional and medial myosin patterns in optoGEF and optoGAP embryos. These two perturbations to Rho1 activity both disrupt axis elongation and cell intercalation but have distinct effects on cell area fluctuations and cell packings that are linked with changes in the medial and junctional myosin pools. These studies demonstrate that acute optogenetic perturbations to Rho1 activity are sufficient to rapidly override the endogenous planar-polarized myosin pattern in the germband during axis elongation. Moreover, our results reveal that the levels of Rho1 activity and the balance between medial and junctional myosin play key roles not only in organizing the cell rearrangements that are known to directly contribute to axis elongation but also in regulating cell area fluctuations and cell packings, which have been proposed to be important factors influencing the mechanics of tissue deformation and flow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Cupo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Cole Allan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Annie Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Karen E Kasza
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York.
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27
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Gorfinkiel N, Martinez Arias A. The cell in the age of the genomic revolution: Cell Regulatory Networks. Cells Dev 2021; 168:203720. [PMID: 34252599 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2021.203720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few years an intense activity in the areas of advanced microscopy and quantitative cell biology has put the focus on the morphogenetic events that shape embryos. The interest in these processes is taking place against the backdrop of genomic studies, particularly of global patterns of gene expression at the level of single cells, which cannot fully account for the way cells build tissues and organs. Here we discuss the need to integrate the activity of genes with that of cells and propose the need to develop a framework, based on cellular processes and cell interactions, that parallels that which has been created for gene activity in the form of Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs). We begin to do this by suggesting elements for building Cell Regulatory Networks (CRNs). In the same manner that GRNs create schedules of gene expression that result in the emergence of cell fates over time, CRNs create tissues and organs i.e. space. We also suggest how GRNs and CRNs might interact in the building of embryos through feedback loops involving mechanics and tissue tectonics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Gorfinkiel
- Departamento de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Facultad de CC Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, José Antonio Nováis 12, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Alfonso Martinez Arias
- Systems Bioengineering, DCEXS, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, ICREA (Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats), Doctor Aiguader 88, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.
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28
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Inman A, Smutny M. Feeling the force: Multiscale force sensing and transduction at the cell-cell interface. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 120:53-65. [PMID: 34238674 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A universal principle of all living cells is the ability to sense and respond to mechanical stimuli which is essential for many biological processes. Recent efforts have identified critical mechanosensitive molecules and response pathways involved in mechanotransduction during development and tissue homeostasis. Tissue-wide force transmission and local force sensing need to be spatiotemporally coordinated to precisely regulate essential processes during development such as tissue morphogenesis, patterning, cell migration and organogenesis. Understanding how cells identify and interpret extrinsic forces and integrate a specific response on cell and tissue level remains a major challenge. In this review we consider important cellular and physical factors in control of cell-cell mechanotransduction and discuss their significance for cell and developmental processes. We further highlight mechanosensitive macromolecules that are known to respond to external forces and present examples of how force responses can be integrated into cell and developmental programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus Inman
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV47AL, UK
| | - Michael Smutny
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV47AL, UK.
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29
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A release-and-capture mechanism generates an essential non-centrosomal microtubule array during tube budding. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4096. [PMID: 34215746 PMCID: PMC8253823 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24332-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-centrosomal microtubule arrays serve crucial functions in cells, yet the mechanisms of their generation are poorly understood. During budding of the epithelial tubes of the salivary glands in the Drosophila embryo, we previously demonstrated that the activity of pulsatile apical-medial actomyosin depends on a longitudinal non-centrosomal microtubule array. Here we uncover that the exit from the last embryonic division cycle of the epidermal cells of the salivary gland placode leads to one centrosome in the cells losing all microtubule-nucleation capacity. This restriction of nucleation activity to the second, Centrobin-enriched, centrosome is key for proper morphogenesis. Furthermore, the microtubule-severing protein Katanin and the minus-end-binding protein Patronin accumulate in an apical-medial position only in placodal cells. Loss of either in the placode prevents formation of the longitudinal microtubule array and leads to loss of apical-medial actomyosin and impaired apical constriction. We thus propose a mechanism whereby Katanin-severing at the single active centrosome releases microtubule minus-ends that are then anchored by apical-medial Patronin to promote formation of the longitudinal microtubule array crucial for apical constriction and tube formation.
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30
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Lemke S, Kale G, Urbansky S. Comparing gastrulation in flies: Links between cell biology and the evolution of embryonic morphogenesis. Mech Dev 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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31
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Casani S, Casanova J, Llimargas M. Unravelling the distinct contribution of cell shape changes and cell intercalation to tissue morphogenesis: the case of the Drosophila trachea. Open Biol 2020; 10:200329. [PMID: 33234070 PMCID: PMC7729023 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercalation allows cells to exchange positions in a spatially oriented manner in an array of diverse processes, spanning convergent extension in embryonic gastrulation to the formation of tubular organs. However, given the co-occurrence of cell intercalation and changes in cell shape, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain their respective contribution to morphogenesis. A well-established model to analyse intercalation, particularly in tubular organs, is the Drosophila tracheal system. There, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling at the tip of the dorsal branches generates a ‘pulling’ force believed to promote cell elongation and cell intercalation, which account for the final branch extension. Here, we used a variety of experimental conditions to study the contribution of cell elongation and cell intercalation to morphogenesis and analysed their mutual requirements. We provide evidence that cell intercalation does not require cell elongation and vice versa. We also show that the two cell behaviours are controlled by independent but simultaneous mechanisms, and that cell elongation is sufficient to account for full extension of the dorsal branch, while cell intercalation has a specific role in setting the diameter of this structure. Thus, rather than viewing changes in cell shape and cell intercalation as just redundant events that add robustness to a given morphogenetic process, we find that they can also act by contributing to different features of tissue architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Casani
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, CSIC, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Casanova
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, CSIC, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Llimargas
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, CSIC, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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32
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Lamiré LA, Milani P, Runel G, Kiss A, Arias L, Vergier B, de Bossoreille S, Das P, Cluet D, Boudaoud A, Grammont M. Gradient in cytoplasmic pressure in germline cells controls overlying epithelial cell morphogenesis. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000940. [PMID: 33253165 PMCID: PMC7703951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
It is unknown how growth in one tissue impacts morphogenesis in a neighboring tissue. To address this, we used the Drosophila ovarian follicle, in which a cluster of 15 nurse cells and a posteriorly located oocyte are surrounded by a layer of epithelial cells. It is known that as the nurse cells grow, the overlying epithelial cells flatten in a wave that begins in the anterior. Here, we demonstrate that an anterior to posterior gradient of decreasing cytoplasmic pressure is present across the nurse cells and that this gradient acts through TGFβ to control both the triggering and the progression of the wave of epithelial cell flattening. Our data indicate that intrinsic nurse cell growth is important to control proper nurse cell pressure. Finally, we reveal that nurse cell pressure and subsequent TGFβ activity in the stretched cells combine to increase follicle elongation in the anterior, which is crucial for allowing nurse cell growth and pressure control. More generally, our results reveal that during development, inner cytoplasmic pressure in individual cells has an important role in shaping their neighbors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie-Anne Lamiré
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Pascale Milani
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Gaël Runel
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Annamaria Kiss
- Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Leticia Arias
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Blandine Vergier
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Stève de Bossoreille
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Pradeep Das
- Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - David Cluet
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Arezki Boudaoud
- Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Muriel Grammont
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule, Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
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33
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Mechanical Coupling Coordinates the Co-elongation of Axial and Paraxial Tissues in Avian Embryos. Dev Cell 2020; 55:354-366.e5. [PMID: 32918876 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Tissues undergoing morphogenesis impose mechanical effects on one another. How developmental programs adapt to or take advantage of these effects remains poorly explored. Here, using a combination of live imaging, modeling, and microsurgical perturbations, we show that the axial and paraxial tissues in the forming avian embryonic body coordinate their rates of elongation through mechanical interactions. First, a cell motility gradient drives paraxial presomitic mesoderm (PSM) expansion, resulting in compression of the axial neural tube and notochord; second, elongation of axial tissues driven by PSM compression and polarized cell intercalation pushes the caudal progenitor domain posteriorly; finally, the axial push drives the lateral movement of midline PSM cells to maintain PSM growth and cell motility. These interactions form an engine-like positive feedback loop, which sustains a shared elongation rate for coupled tissues. Our results demonstrate a key role of inter-tissue forces in coordinating distinct body axis tissues during their co-elongation.
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34
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Perez-Vale KZ, Peifer M. Orchestrating morphogenesis: building the body plan by cell shape changes and movements. Development 2020; 147:dev191049. [PMID: 32917667 PMCID: PMC7502592 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
During embryonic development, a simple ball of cells re-shapes itself into the elaborate body plan of an animal. This requires dramatic cell shape changes and cell movements, powered by the contractile force generated by actin and myosin linked to the plasma membrane at cell-cell and cell-matrix junctions. Here, we review three morphogenetic events common to most animals: apical constriction, convergent extension and collective cell migration. Using the fruit fly Drosophila as an example, we discuss recent work that has revealed exciting new insights into the molecular mechanisms that allow cells to change shape and move without tearing tissues apart. We also point out parallel events at work in other animals, which suggest that the mechanisms underlying these morphogenetic processes are conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kia Z Perez-Vale
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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35
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Abstract
Cell intercalation is a key topological transformation driving tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis and diseases such as cancer cell invasion. In recent years, much work has been undertaken to better elucidate the fundamental mechanisms controlling intercalation. Cells often use protrusions to propel themselves in between cell neighbours, resulting in topology changes. Nevertheless, in simple epithelial tissues, formed by a single layer of densely packed prism-shaped cells, topology change takes place in an astonishing fashion: cells exchange neighbours medio-laterally by conserving their apical-basal architecture and by maintaining an intact epithelial layer. Medio-lateral cell intercalation in simple epithelia is thus an exemplary case of both robustness and plasticity. Interestingly, in simple epithelia, cells use a combinatory set of mechanisms to ensure a topological transformation at the apical and basal sides. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Contemporary morphogenesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rauzi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
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36
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Stern T, Shvartsman SY, Wieschaus EF. Template-based mapping of dynamic motifs in tissue morphogenesis. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008049. [PMID: 32822341 PMCID: PMC7442231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue morphogenesis relies on repeated use of dynamic behaviors at the levels of intracellular structures, individual cells, and cell groups. Rapidly accumulating live imaging datasets make it increasingly important to formalize and automate the task of mapping recurrent dynamic behaviors (motifs), as it is done in speech recognition and other data mining applications. Here, we present a "template-based search" approach for accurate mapping of sub- to multi-cellular morphogenetic motifs using a time series data mining framework. We formulated the task of motif mapping as a subsequence matching problem and solved it using dynamic time warping, while relying on high throughput graph-theoretic algorithms for efficient exploration of the search space. This formulation allows our algorithm to accurately identify the complete duration of each instance and automatically label different stages throughout its progress, such as cell cycle phases during cell division. To illustrate our approach, we mapped cell intercalations during germband extension in the early Drosophila embryo. Our framework enabled statistical analysis of intercalary cell behaviors in wild-type and mutant embryos, comparison of temporal dynamics in contracting and growing junctions in different genotypes, and the identification of a novel mode of iterative cell intercalation. Our formulation of tissue morphogenesis using time series opens new avenues for systematic decomposition of tissue morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Stern
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Stanislav Y. Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute - Simons Foundation, New York, United States of America
| | - Eric F. Wieschaus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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37
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Koyama H, Fujimori T. Isotropic expansion of external environment induces tissue elongation and collective cell alignment. J Theor Biol 2020; 496:110248. [PMID: 32275986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Cell movement is crucial for morphogenesis in multicellular organisms. Growing embryos or tissues often expand isotropically, i.e., uniformly, in all dimensions. On the surfaces of these expanding environments, which we call "fields," cells are subjected to frictional forces and move passively in response. However, the potential roles of isotropically expanding fields in morphogenetic events have not been investigated well. Our previous mathematical simulations showed that a tissue was elongated on an isotropically expanding field (Imuta et al., 2014). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclarified, and how cells behave during tissue elongation was not investigated. In this study, we mathematically analyzed the effect of isotropically expanding fields using a vertex model, a standard type of multi-cellular model. We found that cells located on fields were elongated along a similar direction each other and exhibited a columnar configuration with nearly single-cell width. Simultaneously, it was confirmed that the cell clusters were also elongated, even though field expansion was absolutely isotropic. We then investigated the mechanism underlying these counterintuitive phenomena. In particular, we asked whether the dynamics of elongation was predominantly determined by the properties of the field, the cell cluster, or both. Theoretical analyses involving simplification of the model revealed that cell clusters have an intrinsic ability to asymmetrically deform, leading to their elongation. Importantly, this ability is effective only under the non-equilibrium conditions provided by field expansion. This may explain the elongation of the notochord, located on the surface of the growing mouse embryo. We established the mechanism underlying tissue elongation induced by isotropically expanding external environments, and its involvement in collective cell alignment with cell elongation, providing key insight into morphogenesis involving multiple adjacent tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Koyama
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Japan.
| | - Toshihiko Fujimori
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Japan
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38
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Gheisari E, Aakhte M, Müller HAJ. Gastrulation in Drosophila melanogaster: Genetic control, cellular basis and biomechanics. Mech Dev 2020; 163:103629. [PMID: 32615151 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Gastrulation is generally understood as the morphogenetic processes that result in the spatial organization of the blastomere into the three germ layers, ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the morphogenetic mechanisms in Drosophila gastrulation. In addition to the events that drive mesoderm invagination and germband elongation, we pay particular attention to other, less well-known mechanisms including midgut invagination, cephalic furrow formation, dorsal fold formation, and mesoderm layer formation. This review covers topics ranging from the identification and functional characterization of developmental and morphogenetic control genes to the analysis of the physical properties of cells and tissues and the control of cell and tissue mechanics of the morphogenetic movements in the gastrula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Gheisari
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany
| | - Mostafa Aakhte
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany
| | - H-Arno J Müller
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany.
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39
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Krueger D, Pallares Cartes C, Makaske T, De Renzis S. βH-spectrin is required for ratcheting apical pulsatile constrictions during tissue invagination. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e49858. [PMID: 32588528 PMCID: PMC7403717 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Actomyosin‐mediated apical constriction drives a wide range of morphogenetic processes. Activation of myosin‐II initiates pulsatile cycles of apical constrictions followed by either relaxation or stabilization (ratcheting) of the apical surface. While relaxation leads to dissipation of contractile forces, ratcheting is critical for the generation of tissue‐level tension and changes in tissue shape. How ratcheting is controlled at the molecular level is unknown. Here, we show that the actin crosslinker βH‐spectrin is upregulated at the apical surface of invaginating mesodermal cells during Drosophila gastrulation. βH‐spectrin forms a network of filaments which co‐localize with medio‐apical actomyosin fibers, in a process that depends on the mesoderm‐transcription factor Twist and activation of Rho signaling. βH‐spectrin knockdown results in non‐ratcheted apical constrictions and inhibition of mesoderm invagination, recapitulating twist mutant embryos. βH‐spectrin is thus a key regulator of apical ratcheting during tissue invagination, suggesting that actin cross‐linking plays a critical role in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Krueger
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Thijs Makaske
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefano De Renzis
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
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40
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Wang X, Merkel M, Sutter LB, Erdemci-Tandogan G, Manning ML, Kasza KE. Anisotropy links cell shapes to tissue flow during convergent extension. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13541-13551. [PMID: 32467168 PMCID: PMC7306759 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1916418117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Within developing embryos, tissues flow and reorganize dramatically on timescales as short as minutes. This includes epithelial tissues, which often narrow and elongate in convergent extension movements due to anisotropies in external forces or in internal cell-generated forces. However, the mechanisms that allow or prevent tissue reorganization, especially in the presence of strongly anisotropic forces, remain unclear. We study this question in the converging and extending Drosophila germband epithelium, which displays planar-polarized myosin II and experiences anisotropic forces from neighboring tissues. We show that, in contrast to isotropic tissues, cell shape alone is not sufficient to predict the onset of rapid cell rearrangement. From theoretical considerations and vertex model simulations, we predict that in anisotropic tissues, two experimentally accessible metrics of cell patterns-the cell shape index and a cell alignment index-are required to determine whether an anisotropic tissue is in a solid-like or fluid-like state. We show that changes in cell shape and alignment over time in the Drosophila germband predict the onset of rapid cell rearrangement in both wild-type and snail twist mutant embryos, where our theoretical prediction is further improved when we also account for cell packing disorder. These findings suggest that convergent extension is associated with a transition to more fluid-like tissue behavior, which may help accommodate tissue-shape changes during rapid developmental events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Matthias Merkel
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
- Centre de Physique Théorique (CPT), Turing Center for Living Systems, Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Leo B Sutter
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - Gonca Erdemci-Tandogan
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - M Lisa Manning
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - Karen E Kasza
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027;
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41
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Abstract
Morphogenetic flows in developmental biology are characterized by the coordinated motion of thousands of cells that organize into tissues, naturally raising the question of how this collective organization arises. Using only the kinematics of tissue deformation, which naturally integrates local and global mechanisms along cell paths, we identify the dynamic morphoskeletons behind morphogenesis, i.e., the evolving centerpieces of multicellular trajectory patterns. These features are model- and parameter-free, frame-invariant, and robust to measurement errors and can be computed from unfiltered cell-velocity data. We reveal the spatial attractors and repellers of the embryo by quantifying its Lagrangian deformation, information that is inaccessible to simple trajectory inspection or Eulerian methods that are local and typically frame-dependent. Computing these dynamic morphoskeletons in wild-type and mutant chick and fly embryos, we find that they capture the early footprint of known morphogenetic features, reveal new ones, and quantitatively distinguish between different phenotypes.
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42
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Pulido Companys P, Norris A, Bischoff M. Coordination of cytoskeletal dynamics and cell behaviour during Drosophila abdominal morphogenesis. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs235325. [PMID: 32229579 PMCID: PMC7132776 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.235325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During morphogenesis, cells exhibit various behaviours, such as migration and constriction, which need to be coordinated. How this is achieved remains elusive. During morphogenesis of the Drosophila adult abdominal epidermis, larval epithelial cells (LECs) migrate directedly before constricting apically and undergoing apoptosis. Here, we study the mechanisms underlying the transition from migration to constriction. We show that LECs possess a pulsatile apical actomyosin network, and that a change in network polarity correlates with behavioural change. Exploring the properties of the contractile network, we find that cell contractility, as determined by myosin activity, has an impact on the behaviour of the network, as well as on cytoskeletal architecture and cell behaviour. Pulsed contractions occur only in cells with intermediate levels of contractility. Furthermore, increasing levels of the small Rho GTPase Rho1 disrupts pulsing, leading to cells that cycle between two states, characterised by a junctional cortical and an apicomedial actin network. Our results highlight that behavioural change relies on tightly controlled cellular contractility. Moreover, we show that constriction can occur without pulsing, raising questions why constricting cells pulse in some contexts but not in others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Pulido Companys
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Anneliese Norris
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Marcus Bischoff
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
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43
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Martin AC. The Physical Mechanisms of Drosophila Gastrulation: Mesoderm and Endoderm Invagination. Genetics 2020; 214:543-560. [PMID: 32132154 PMCID: PMC7054018 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical juncture in early development is the partitioning of cells that will adopt different fates into three germ layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm. This step is achieved through the internalization of specified cells from the outermost surface layer, through a process called gastrulation. In Drosophila, gastrulation is achieved through cell shape changes (i.e., apical constriction) that change tissue curvature and lead to the folding of a surface epithelium. Folding of embryonic tissue results in mesoderm and endoderm invagination, not as individual cells, but as collective tissue units. The tractability of Drosophila as a model system is best exemplified by how much we know about Drosophila gastrulation, from the signals that pattern the embryo to the molecular components that generate force, and how these components are organized to promote cell and tissue shape changes. For mesoderm invagination, graded signaling by the morphogen, Spätzle, sets up a gradient in transcriptional activity that leads to the expression of a secreted ligand (Folded gastrulation) and a transmembrane protein (T48). Together with the GPCR Mist, which is expressed in the mesoderm, and the GPCR Smog, which is expressed uniformly, these signals activate heterotrimeric G-protein and small Rho-family G-protein signaling to promote apical contractility and changes in cell and tissue shape. A notable feature of this signaling pathway is its intricate organization in both space and time. At the cellular level, signaling components and the cytoskeleton exhibit striking polarity, not only along the apical-basal cell axis, but also within the apical domain. Furthermore, gene expression controls a highly choreographed chain of events, the dynamics of which are critical for primordium invagination; it does not simply throw the cytoskeletal "on" switch. Finally, studies of Drosophila gastrulation have provided insight into how global tissue mechanics and movements are intertwined as multiple tissues simultaneously change shape. Overall, these studies have contributed to the view that cells respond to forces that propagate over great distances, demonstrating that cellular decisions, and, ultimately, tissue shape changes, proceed by integrating cues across an entire embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Martin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
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Abstract
Convergent extension is a conserved mechanism for elongating tissues. In the Drosophila embryo, convergent extension is driven by planar polarized cell intercalation and is a paradigm for understanding the cellular, molecular, and biophysical mechanisms that establish tissue structure. Studies of convergent extension in Drosophila have provided key insights into the force-generating molecules that promote convergent extension in epithelial tissues, as well as the global systems of spatial information that systematically organize these cell behaviors. A general framework has emerged in which asymmetrically localized proteins involved in cytoskeletal tension and cell adhesion direct oriented cell movements, and spatial signals provided by the Toll, Tartan, and Teneurin receptor families break planar symmetry to establish and coordinate planar cell polarity throughout the tissue. In this chapter, we describe the cellular, molecular, and biophysical mechanisms that regulate cell intercalation in the Drosophila embryo, and discuss how research in this system has revealed conserved biological principles that control the organization of multicellular tissues and animal body plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Paré
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States.
| | - Jennifer A Zallen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, United States.
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Finegan TM, Hervieux N, Nestor-Bergmann A, Fletcher AG, Blanchard GB, Sanson B. The tricellular vertex-specific adhesion molecule Sidekick facilitates polarised cell intercalation during Drosophila axis extension. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000522. [PMID: 31805038 PMCID: PMC6894751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In epithelia, tricellular vertices are emerging as important sites for the regulation of epithelial integrity and function. Compared to bicellular contacts, however, much less is known. In particular, resident proteins at tricellular vertices were identified only at occluding junctions, with none known at adherens junctions (AJs). In a previous study, we discovered that in Drosophila embryos, the adhesion molecule Sidekick (Sdk), well-known in invertebrates and vertebrates for its role in the visual system, localises at tricellular vertices at the level of AJs. Here, we survey a wide range of Drosophila epithelia and establish that Sdk is a resident protein at tricellular AJs (tAJs), the first of its kind. Clonal analysis showed that two cells, rather than three cells, contributing Sdk are sufficient for tAJ localisation. Super-resolution imaging using structured illumination reveals that Sdk proteins form string-like structures at vertices. Postulating that Sdk may have a role in epithelia where AJs are actively remodelled, we analysed the phenotype of sdk null mutant embryos during Drosophila axis extension using quantitative methods. We find that apical cell shapes are abnormal in sdk mutants, suggesting a defect in tissue remodelling during convergence and extension. Moreover, adhesion at apical vertices is compromised in rearranging cells, with apical tears in the cortex forming and persisting throughout axis extension, especially at the centres of rosettes. Finally, we show that polarised cell intercalation is decreased in sdk mutants. Mathematical modelling of the cell behaviours supports the notion that the T1 transitions of polarised cell intercalation are delayed in sdk mutants, in particular in rosettes. We propose that this delay, in combination with a change in the mechanical properties of the converging and extending tissue, causes the abnormal apical cell shapes in sdk mutant embryos. This study identifies the adhesion molecule Sidekick as a resident protein of tricellular vertices between cells, at the level of adherens junctions. A combination of quantitative methods and modelling provides evidence that Sidekick facilitates polarised cell intercalation during Drosophila axis extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara M. Finegan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan Hervieux
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Nestor-Bergmann
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander G. Fletcher
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Guy B. Blanchard
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Bénédicte Sanson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Loerke D, Blankenship JT. Viscoelastic voyages - Biophysical perspectives on cell intercalation during Drosophila gastrulation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 100:212-222. [PMID: 31784092 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Developmental processes are driven by a combination of cytoplasmic, cortical, and surface-associated forces. However, teasing apart the contributions of these forces and how a viscoelastic cell responds has long been a key question in developmental biology. Recent advances in applying biophysical approaches to these questions is leading to a fundamentally new understanding of morphogenesis. In this review, we discuss how computational analysis of experimental findings and in silico modeling of Drosophila gastrulation processes has led to a deeper comprehension of the physical principles at work in the early embryo. We also summarize many of the emerging methodologies that permit biophysical analysis as well as those that provide direct and indirect measurements of force directions and magnitudes. Finally, we examine the multiple frameworks that have been used to model tissue and cellular behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinah Loerke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA.
| | - J Todd Blankenship
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA.
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Sutherland A, Keller R, Lesko A. Convergent extension in mammalian morphogenesis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 100:199-211. [PMID: 31734039 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Convergent extension is a fundamental morphogenetic process that underlies not only the generation of the elongated vertebrate body plan from the initially radially symmetrical embryo, but also the specific shape changes characteristic of many individual tissues. These tissue shape changes are the result of specific cell behaviors, coordinated in time and space, and affected by the physical properties of the tissue. While mediolateral cell intercalation is the classic cellular mechanism for producing tissue convergence and extension, other cell behaviors can also provide similar tissue-scale distortions or can modulate the effects of mediolateral cell intercalation to sculpt a specific shape. Regulation of regional tissue morphogenesis through planar polarization of the variety of underlying cell behaviors is well-recognized, but as yet is not well understood at the molecular level. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the cellular basis for convergence and extension and its regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Sutherland
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
| | - Raymond Keller
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA.
| | - Alyssa Lesko
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
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Cellular defects resulting from disease-related myosin II mutations in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:22205-22211. [PMID: 31615886 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1909227116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The nonmuscle myosin II motor protein produces forces that are essential to driving the cell movements and cell shape changes that generate tissue structure. Mutations in myosin II that are associated with human diseases are predicted to disrupt critical aspects of myosin function, but the mechanisms that translate altered myosin activity into specific changes in tissue organization and physiology are not well understood. Here we use the Drosophila embryo to model human disease mutations that affect myosin motor activity. Using in vivo imaging and biophysical analysis, we show that engineering human MYH9-related disease mutations into Drosophila myosin II produces motors with altered organization and dynamics that fail to drive rapid cell movements, resulting in defects in epithelial morphogenesis. In embryos that express the Drosophila myosin motor variants R707C or N98K and have reduced levels of wild-type myosin, myosin motors are correctly planar polarized and generate anisotropic contractile tension in the tissue. However, expression of these motor variants is associated with a cellular-scale reduction in the speed of cell intercalation, resulting in a failure to promote full elongation of the body axis. In addition, these myosin motor variants display slowed turnover and aberrant aggregation at the cell cortex, indicating that mutations in the motor domain influence mesoscale properties of myosin organization and dynamics. These results demonstrate that disease-associated mutations in the myosin II motor domain disrupt specific aspects of myosin localization and activity during cell intercalation, linking molecular changes in myosin activity to defects in tissue morphogenesis.
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Cell cluster migration: Connecting experiments with physical models. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 93:77-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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50
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Genetics and mechanics combine to guide the embryonic gut. Nature 2019; 572:446-447. [PMID: 31427801 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-02398-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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