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Rufo J, Qiu C, Han D, Baxter N, Daley G, Wilson MZ. An explainable map of human gastruloid morphospace reveals gastrulation failure modes and predicts teratogens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.20.614192. [PMID: 39386623 PMCID: PMC11463602 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.20.614192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Human gastrulation is a critical stage of development where many pregnancies fail due to poorly understood mechanisms. Using the 2D gastruloid, a stem cell model of human gastrulation, we combined high-throughput drug perturbations and mathematical modelling to create an explainable map of gastruloid morphospace. This map outlines patterning outcomes in response to diverse perturbations and identifies variations in canonical patterning and failure modes. We modeled morphogen dynamics to embed simulated gastruloids into experimentally-determined morphospace to explain how developmental parameters drive patterning. Our model predicted and validated the two greatest sources of patterning variance: cell density-based modulations in Wnt signaling and SOX2 stability. Assigning these parameters as axes of morphospace imparted interpretability. To demonstrate its utility, we predicted novel teratogens that we validated in zebrafish. Overall, we show how stem cell models of development can be used to build a comprehensive and interpretable understanding of the set of developmental outcomes.
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Caldarelli P, Chamolly A, Villedieu A, Alegria-Prévot O, Phan C, Gros J, Corson F. Self-organized tissue mechanics underlie embryonic regulation. Nature 2024; 633:887-894. [PMID: 39261736 PMCID: PMC11424473 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Early amniote development is highly self-organized, capable of adapting to interference through local and long-range cell-cell interactions. This process, called embryonic regulation1, has been well illustrated in experiments on avian embryos, in which subdividing the epiblast disk into different parts not only redirects cell fates to eventually form a complete and well-proportioned embryo at its original location, but also leads to the self-organization of additional, fully formed embryos2,3 in the other separated parts. The cellular interactions underlying embryonic self-organization are widely believed to be mediated by molecular signals, yet the identity of such signals is unclear. Here, by analysing intact and mechanically perturbed quail embryos, we show that the mechanical forces that drive embryogenesis self-organize, with contractility locally self-activating and the ensuing tension acting as a long-range inhibitor. This mechanical feedback governs the persistent pattern of tissue flows that shape the embryo4-6 and also steers the concomitant emergence of embryonic territories by modulating gene expression, ensuring the formation of a single embryo under normal conditions, yet allowing the emergence of multiple, well-proportioned embryos after perturbations. Thus, mechanical forces act at the core of embryonic self-organization, shaping both tissues and gene expression to robustly yet plastically canalize early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Caldarelli
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France
- Collège Doctoral, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Alexander Chamolly
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Villedieu
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France
| | - Olinda Alegria-Prévot
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France
| | - Carole Phan
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France
| | - Jerome Gros
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3738, Paris, France.
| | - Francis Corson
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France.
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Mishra J, Chakraborty S, Niharika, Roy A, Manna S, Baral T, Nandi P, Patra SK. Mechanotransduction and epigenetic modulations of chromatin: Role of mechanical signals in gene regulation. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30531. [PMID: 38345428 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical forces may be generated within a cell due to tissue stiffness, cytoskeletal reorganization, and the changes (even subtle) in the cell's physical surroundings. These changes of forces impose a mechanical tension within the intracellular protein network (both cytosolic and nuclear). Mechanical tension could be released by a series of protein-protein interactions often facilitated by membrane lipids, lectins and sugar molecules and thus generate a type of signal to drive cellular processes, including cell differentiation, polarity, growth, adhesion, movement, and survival. Recent experimental data have accentuated the molecular mechanism of this mechanical signal transduction pathway, dubbed mechanotransduction. Mechanosensitive proteins in the cell's plasma membrane discern the physical forces and channel the information to the cell interior. Cells respond to the message by altering their cytoskeletal arrangement and directly transmitting the signal to the nucleus through the connection of the cytoskeleton and nucleoskeleton before the information despatched to the nucleus by biochemical signaling pathways. Nuclear transmission of the force leads to the activation of chromatin modifiers and modulation of the epigenetic landscape, inducing chromatin reorganization and gene expression regulation; by the time chemical messengers (transcription factors) arrive into the nucleus. While significant research has been done on the role of mechanotransduction in tumor development and cancer progression/metastasis, the mechanistic basis of force-activated carcinogenesis is still enigmatic. Here, in this review, we have discussed the various cues and molecular connections to better comprehend the cellular mechanotransduction pathway, and we also explored the detailed role of some of the multiple players (proteins and macromolecular complexes) involved in mechanotransduction. Thus, we have described an avenue: how mechanical stress directs the epigenetic modifiers to modulate the epigenome of the cells and how aberrant stress leads to the cancer phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagdish Mishra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Subhajit Chakraborty
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Niharika
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Ankan Roy
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Soumen Manna
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Tirthankar Baral
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Piyasa Nandi
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Samir K Patra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Life Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
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Kabakova I, Zhang J, Xiang Y, Caponi S, Bilenca A, Guck J, Scarcelli G. Brillouin microscopy. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2024; 4:8. [PMID: 39391288 PMCID: PMC11465583 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-023-00286-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
The field of Brillouin microscopy and imaging was established approximately 20 years ago, thanks to the development of non-scanning high-resolution optical spectrometers. Since then, the field has experienced rapid expansion, incorporating technologies from telecommunications, astrophotonics, multiplexed microscopy, quantum optics and machine learning. Consequently, these advancements have led to much-needed improvements in imaging speed, spectral resolution and sensitivity. The progress in Brillouin microscopy is driven by a strong demand for label-free and contact-free methods to characterize the mechanical properties of biomaterials at the cellular and subcellular scales. Understanding the local biomechanics of cells and tissues has become crucial in predicting cellular fate and tissue pathogenesis. This Primer aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the methods and applications of Brillouin microscopy. It includes key demonstrations of Brillouin microscopy and imaging that can serve as a reference for the existing research community and new adopters of this technology. The article concludes with an outlook, presenting the authors' vision for future developments in this vibrant field. The Primer also highlights specific examples where Brillouin microscopy can have a transformative impact on biology and biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Kabakova
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jitao Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Yuchen Xiang
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Silvia Caponi
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali–National Research Council (IOM-CNR)–Research Unit in Perugia, c/o Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alberto Bilenca
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Maryland Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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5
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Eroshkin FM, Fefelova EA, Bredov DV, Orlov EE, Kolyupanova NM, Mazur AM, Sokolov AS, Zhigalova NA, Prokhortchouk EB, Nesterenko AM, Zaraisky AG. Mechanical Tensions Regulate Gene Expression in the Xenopus laevis Axial Tissues. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:870. [PMID: 38255964 PMCID: PMC10815341 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020870] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
During gastrulation and neurulation, the chordamesoderm and overlying neuroectoderm of vertebrate embryos converge under the control of a specific genetic programme to the dorsal midline, simultaneously extending along it. However, whether mechanical tensions resulting from these morphogenetic movements play a role in long-range feedback signaling that in turn regulates gene expression in the chordamesoderm and neuroectoderm is unclear. In the present work, by using a model of artificially stretched explants of Xenopus midgastrula embryos and full-transcriptome sequencing, we identified genes with altered expression in response to external mechanical stretching. Importantly, mechanically activated genes appeared to be expressed during normal development in the trunk, i.e., in the stretched region only. By contrast, genes inhibited by mechanical stretching were normally expressed in the anterior neuroectoderm, where mechanical stress is low. These results indicate that mechanical tensions may play the role of a long-range signaling factor that regulates patterning of the embryo, serving as a link coupling morphogenesis and cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedor M. Eroshkin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena A. Fefelova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Denis V. Bredov
- Laboratory of Development Biophysics, Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugeny E. Orlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nataliya M. Kolyupanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander M. Mazur
- Federal State Institution “Federal Research Centre “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Leninsky Prospect, 33 Build. 2, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey S. Sokolov
- Federal State Institution “Federal Research Centre “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Leninsky Prospect, 33 Build. 2, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda A. Zhigalova
- Federal State Institution “Federal Research Centre “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Leninsky Prospect, 33 Build. 2, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Egor B. Prokhortchouk
- Federal State Institution “Federal Research Centre “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Leninsky Prospect, 33 Build. 2, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey M. Nesterenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Biotechnologies of Federal Medical-Biological Agency, 1 Build 10 Ostrovityanova Str., 117513 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey G. Zaraisky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1 Build 70 Ostrovityanova Str., 117513 Moscow, Russia
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6
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Loffet EA, Durel JF, Nerurkar NL. Evo-Devo Mechanobiology: The Missing Link. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1455-1473. [PMID: 37193661 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad033] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
While the modern framework of evolutionary development (evo-devo) has been decidedly genetic, historic analyses have also considered the importance of mechanics in the evolution of form. With the aid of recent technological advancements in both quantifying and perturbing changes in the molecular and mechanical effectors of organismal shape, how molecular and genetic cues regulate the biophysical aspects of morphogenesis is becoming increasingly well studied. As a result, this is an opportune time to consider how the tissue-scale mechanics that underlie morphogenesis are acted upon through evolution to establish morphological diversity. Such a focus will enable a field of evo-devo mechanobiology that will serve to better elucidate the opaque relations between genes and forms by articulating intermediary physical mechanisms. Here, we review how the evolution of shape is measured and related to genetics, how recent strides have been made in the dissection of developmental tissue mechanics, and how we expect these areas to coalesce in evo-devo studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise A Loffet
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - John F Durel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Nandan L Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
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7
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Wang R, Bialas AL, Goel T, Collins EMS. Mechano-Chemical Coupling in Hydra Regeneration and Patterning. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1422-1441. [PMID: 37339912 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad070] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The freshwater cnidarian Hydra can regenerate from wounds, small tissue fragments and even from aggregated cells. This process requires the de novo development of a body axis and oral-aboral polarity, a fundamental developmental process that involves chemical patterning and mechanical shape changes. Gierer and Meinhardt recognized that Hydra's simple body plan and amenability to in vivo experiments make it an experimentally and mathematically tractable model to study developmental patterning and symmetry breaking. They developed a reaction-diffusion model, involving a short-range activator and a long-range inhibitor, which successfully explained patterning in the adult animal. In 2011, HyWnt3 was identified as a candidate for the activator. However, despite the continued efforts of both physicists and biologists, the predicted inhibitor remains elusive. Furthermore, the Gierer-Meinhardt model cannot explain de novo axis formation in cellular aggregates that lack inherited tissue polarity. The aim of this review is to synthesize the current knowledge on Hydra symmetry breaking and patterning. We summarize the history of patterning studies and insights from recent biomechanical and molecular studies, and highlight the need for continued validation of theoretical assumptions and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. We conclude by proposing new experiments to test current mechano-chemical coupling models and suggest ideas for expanding the Gierer-Meinhardt model to explain de novo patterning, as observed in Hydra aggregates. The availability of a fully sequenced genome, transgenic fluorescent reporter strains, and modern imaging techniques, that enable unprecedented observation of cellular events in vivo, promise to allow the community to crack Hydra's secret to patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - April L Bialas
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, 19081 PA, USA
| | - Tapan Goel
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332 GA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - Eva-Maria S Collins
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, 19081 PA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104 PA, USA
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8
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Ghosh B, Agarwal K. Viewing life without labels under optical microscopes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:559. [PMID: 37231084 PMCID: PMC10212946 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Optical microscopes today have pushed the limits of speed, quality, and observable space in biological specimens revolutionizing how we view life today. Further, specific labeling of samples for imaging has provided insight into how life functions. This enabled label-based microscopy to percolate and integrate into mainstream life science research. However, the use of labelfree microscopy has been mostly limited, resulting in testing for bio-application but not bio-integration. To enable bio-integration, such microscopes need to be evaluated for their timeliness to answer biological questions uniquely and establish a long-term growth prospect. The article presents key label-free optical microscopes and discusses their integrative potential in life science research for the unperturbed analysis of biological samples.
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9
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Passeri AA, Di Michele A, Neri I, Cottone F, Fioretto D, Mattarelli M, Caponi S. Size and environment: The effect of phonon localization on micro-Brillouin imaging. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 147:213341. [PMID: 36827851 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Specifically designed samples have been analyzed to test the ability of Brillouin spectroscopy to provide reliable mechanical characterization of micro and nano-objects. The selected samples are polymeric films, whose transversal sizes from hundreds of nano- to some micro-meters cover the entire range of length-scales relevant in Brillouin scattering process. The experimental data highlight how, the size of the extended collective oscillation (acoustic phonons, in brief) is the lowest spatial resolution reachable in Brillouin mechanical characterization. Conversely, in the limit condition of phonon confinement, the technique provides the mechanical properties of nano-objects whose characteristic size is comparable with the phonon wavelength (⁓300 nm). Investigating acoustically heterogeneous materials, both size of heterogeneity and acoustic mismatch between adjacent regions are shown to be relevant in shaping the Brillouin response. In particular, a transition from a confined to a non-confined condition is obtained modulating the acoustic mismatch between the micro-objects and their local environment. The provided results and the derived analytic models for the data analysis will guide the interpretation of Brillouin spectra acquired in complex nano-structured samples such as cells, tissues or biomimetic materials. Our analysis can therefore generate new insights to tackle fundamental problems in mechanobiology or to characterize new bioengineered materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Passeri
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy
| | - A Di Michele
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy
| | - I Neri
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy
| | - F Cottone
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy
| | - D Fioretto
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy; CEMIN, Centre of Excellence on Nanostructured Innovative Materials, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - M Mattarelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06100 Perugia, Italy.
| | - S Caponi
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali, National Research Council (IOM-CNR), Unit of Perugia, c/o Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, I-06123 Perugia, Italy.
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10
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Esmaeilniakooshkghazi A, Pham E, George SP, Ahrorov A, Villagomez FR, Byington M, Mukhopadhyay S, Patnaik S, Conrad JC, Naik M, Ravi S, Tebbutt N, Mooi J, Reehorst CM, Mariadason JM, Khurana S. In colon cancer cells fascin1 regulates adherens junction remodeling. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22786. [PMID: 36786724 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201454r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) are a defining feature of all epithelial cells. They regulate epithelial tissue architecture and integrity, and their dysregulation is a key step in tumor metastasis. AJ remodeling is crucial for cancer progression, and it plays a key role in tumor cell survival, growth, and dissemination. Few studies have examined AJ remodeling in cancer cells consequently, it remains poorly understood and unleveraged in the treatment of metastatic carcinomas. Fascin1 is an actin-bundling protein that is absent from the normal epithelium but its expression in colon cancer is linked to metastasis and increased mortality. Here, we provide the molecular mechanism of AJ remodeling in colon cancer cells and identify for the first time, fascin1's function in AJ remodeling. We show that in colon cancer cells fascin1 remodels junctional actin and actomyosin contractility which makes AJs less stable but more dynamic. By remodeling AJs fascin1 drives mechanoactivation of WNT/β-catenin signaling and generates "collective plasticity" which influences the behavior of cells during cell migration. The impact of mechanical inputs on WNT/β-catenin activation in cancer cells remains poorly understood. Our findings highlight the role of AJ remodeling and mechanosensitive WNT/β-catenin signaling in the growth and dissemination of colorectal carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Pham
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sudeep P George
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Afzal Ahrorov
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Fabian R Villagomez
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael Byington
- Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Srijita Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Srinivas Patnaik
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jacinta C Conrad
- Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Monali Naik
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Saathvika Ravi
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Niall Tebbutt
- Gastrointestinal Cancers Programs, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennifer Mooi
- Gastrointestinal Cancers Programs, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Camilla M Reehorst
- Gastrointestinal Cancers Programs, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - John M Mariadason
- Gastrointestinal Cancers Programs, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Seema Khurana
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,School of Health Professions, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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11
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Ishijima A, Okabe S, Sakuma I, Nakagawa K. Dispersive coherent Brillouin scattering spectroscopy. PHOTOACOUSTICS 2023; 29:100447. [PMID: 36601363 PMCID: PMC9806682 DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2022.100447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Frequency- and time-domain Brillouin scattering spectroscopy are powerful tools to read out the mechanical properties of complex systems in material and life sciences. Indeed, coherent acoustic phonons in the time-domain method offer superior depth resolution and a stronger signal than incoherent acoustic phonons in the frequency-domain method. However, it requires scanning of delay time between laser pulses for pumping and probing coherent acoustic phonons. Here, we present Brillouin scattering spectroscopy that spans the time and frequency domains to allow the multichannel detection of Brillouin scattering light from coherent acoustic phonons. Our technique traces the time-evolve Brillouin oscillations at the instantaneous frequency of a chromatic-dispersed laser pulse. The spectroscopic heterodyning of Brillouin scattering light in the frequency domain allows a single-frame readout of gigahertz-frequency oscillations with a spectrometer. As a proof of concept, we imaged heterogeneous thin films and biological cells over a wide bandwidth with nanometer depth resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Ishijima
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Shinga Okabe
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Ichiro Sakuma
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Medical Device Development and Regulation Research Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Keiichi Nakagawa
- Department of Precision Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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12
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Cofre J, Saalfeld K. The first embryo, the origin of cancer and animal phylogeny. I. A presentation of the neoplastic process and its connection with cell fusion and germline formation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1067248. [PMID: 36684435 PMCID: PMC9846517 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1067248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The decisive role of Embryology in understanding the evolution of animal forms is founded and deeply rooted in the history of science. It is recognized that the emergence of multicellularity would not have been possible without the formation of the first embryo. We speculate that biophysical phenomena and the surrounding environment of the Ediacaran ocean were instrumental in co-opting a neoplastic functional module (NFM) within the nucleus of the first zygote. Thus, the neoplastic process, understood here as a biological phenomenon with profound embryologic implications, served as the evolutionary engine that favored the formation of the first embryo and cancerous diseases and allowed to coherently create and recreate body shapes in different animal groups during evolution. In this article, we provide a deep reflection on the Physics of the first embryogenesis and its contribution to the exaptation of additional NFM components, such as the extracellular matrix. Knowledge of NFM components, structure, dynamics, and origin advances our understanding of the numerous possibilities and different innovations that embryos have undergone to create animal forms via Neoplasia during evolutionary radiation. The developmental pathways of Neoplasia have their origins in ctenophores and were consolidated in mammals and other apical groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Cofre
- Laboratório de Embriologia Molecular e Câncer, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil,*Correspondence: Jaime Cofre,
| | - Kay Saalfeld
- Laboratório de Filogenia Animal, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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13
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Nguyen NM, Merle T, Broders-Bondon F, Brunet AC, Battistella A, Land EBL, Sarron F, Jha A, Gennisson JL, Röttinger E, Fernández-Sánchez ME, Farge E. Mechano-biochemical marine stimulation of inversion, gastrulation, and endomesoderm specification in multicellular Eukaryota. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:992371. [PMID: 36531949 PMCID: PMC9754125 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.992371] [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: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary emergence of the primitive gut in Metazoa is one of the decisive events that conditioned the major evolutionary transition, leading to the origin of animal development. It is thought to have been induced by the specification of the endomesoderm (EM) into the multicellular tissue and its invagination (i.e., gastrulation). However, the biochemical signals underlying the evolutionary emergence of EM specification and gastrulation remain unknown. Herein, we find that hydrodynamic mechanical strains, reminiscent of soft marine flow, trigger active tissue invagination/gastrulation or curvature reversal via a Myo-II-dependent mechanotransductive process in both the metazoan Nematostella vectensis (cnidaria) and the multicellular choanoflagellate Choanoeca flexa. In the latter, our data suggest that the curvature reversal is associated with a sensory-behavioral feeding response. Additionally, like in bilaterian animals, gastrulation in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis is shown to participate in the biochemical specification of the EM through mechanical activation of the β-catenin pathway via the phosphorylation of Y654-βcatenin. Choanoflagellates are considered the closest living relative to metazoans, and the common ancestor of choanoflagellates and metazoans dates back at least 700 million years. Therefore, the present findings using these evolutionarily distant species suggest that the primitive emergence of the gut in Metazoa may have been initiated in response to marine mechanical stress already in multicellular pre-Metazoa. Then, the evolutionary transition may have been achieved by specifying the EM via a mechanosensitive Y654-βcatenin dependent mechanism, which appeared during early Metazoa evolution and is specifically conserved in all animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Minh Nguyen
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Tatiana Merle
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Florence Broders-Bondon
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Christine Brunet
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Aude Battistella
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cells Platform, Institut Curie, CNRS, UMR 168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Emelie Britt Linnea Land
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Florian Sarron
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7095, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Aditya Jha
- Laboratoire Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes (PMMH), CNRS, ESPCI ParisTech, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Luc Gennisson
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Orsay, France
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN), Nice, France
- Université Côte d’Azur, Institut Fédératif de Recherche Ressources Marines (IFR MARRES), Nice, France
| | - María Elena Fernández-Sánchez
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Farge
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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14
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Schwaiger M, Andrikou C, Dnyansagar R, Murguia PF, Paganos P, Voronov D, Zimmermann B, Lebedeva T, Schmidt HA, Genikhovich G, Benvenuto G, Arnone MI, Technau U. An ancestral Wnt-Brachyury feedback loop in axial patterning and recruitment of mesoderm-determining target genes. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1921-1939. [PMID: 36396969 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01905-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factors are crucial drivers of cellular differentiation during animal development and often share ancient evolutionary origins. The T-box transcription factor Brachyury plays a pivotal role as an early mesoderm determinant and neural repressor in vertebrates; yet, the ancestral function and key evolutionary transitions of the role of this transcription factor remain obscure. Here, we present a genome-wide target-gene screen using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, an early branching non-bilaterian, and the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, a representative of the sister lineage of chordates. Our analysis reveals an ancestral gene regulatory feedback loop connecting Brachyury, FoxA and canonical Wnt signalling involved in axial patterning that predates the cnidarian-bilaterian split about 700 million years ago. Surprisingly, we also found that part of the gene regulatory network controlling the fate of neuromesodermal progenitors in vertebrates was already present in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians. However, while several endodermal and neuronal Brachyury target genes are ancestrally shared, hardly any of the key mesodermal downstream targets in vertebrates are found in the sea anemone or the sea urchin. Our study suggests that a limited number of target genes involved in mesoderm formation were newly acquired in the vertebrate lineage, leading to a dramatic shift in the function of this ancestral developmental regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Schwaiger
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Andrikou
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rohit Dnyansagar
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricio Ferrer Murguia
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Danila Voronov
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Bob Zimmermann
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatiana Lebedeva
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heiko A Schmidt
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Grigory Genikhovich
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Research Platform 'Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells', University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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15
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Lacombe J, Zenhausern F. Effect of mechanical forces on cellular response to radiation. Radiother Oncol 2022; 176:187-198. [PMID: 36228760 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
While the cellular interactions and biochemical signaling has been investigated for long and showed to play a major role in the cell's fate, it is now also evident that mechanical forces continuously applied to the cells in their microenvironment are as important for tissue homeostasis. Mechanical cues are emerging as key regulators of cellular drug response and we aimed to demonstrate in this review that such effects should also be considered vital for the cellular response to radiation. In order to explore the mechanobiology of the radiation response, we reviewed the main mechanoreceptors and transducers, including integrin-mediated adhesion, YAP/TAZ pathways, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors and showed their implication in the modulation of cellular radiosensitivity. We then discussed the current studies that investigated a direct effect of mechanical stress, including extracellular matrix stiffness, shear stress and mechanical strain, on radiation response of cancer and normal cells and showed through preliminary results that such stress effectively can alter cell response after irradiation. However, we also highlighted the limitations of these studies and emphasized some of the contradictory data, demonstrating that the effect of mechanical cues could involve complex interactions and potential crosstalk with numerous cellular processes also affected by irradiation. Overall, mechanical forces alter radiation response and although additional studies are required to deeply understand the underlying mechanisms, these effects should not be neglected in radiation research as they could reveal new fundamental knowledge for predicting radiosensitivity or understanding resistance to radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Lacombe
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, 475 North 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, 425 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
| | - Frederic Zenhausern
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, 475 North 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, 425 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arizona, 1127 E. James E. Rogers Way, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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16
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Filenko PA, Chechenina AA, Zaraisky AG, Eroshkin FM. The Effect of Myosin Inhibitors on the Expression of Mechano-Dependent Genes in the Early Development of the Clawed Frog. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162022040094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Embryonic cells grow in environments that provide a plethora of physical cues, including mechanical forces that shape the development of the entire embryo. Despite their prevalence, the role of these forces in embryonic development and their integration with chemical signals have been mostly neglected, and scrutiny in modern molecular embryology tilted, instead, towards the dissection of molecular pathways involved in cell fate determination and patterning. It is now possible to investigate how mechanical signals induce downstream genetic regulatory networks to regulate key developmental processes in the embryo. Here, we review the insights into mechanical control of early vertebrate development, including the role of forces in tissue patterning and embryonic axis formation. We also highlight recent in vitro approaches using individual embryonic stem cells and self-organizing multicellular models of human embryos, which have been instrumental in expanding our understanding of how mechanics tune cell fate and cellular rearrangements during human embryonic development.
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18
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Barravecchia I, De Cesari C, Forcato M, Scebba F, Pyankova OV, Bridger JM, Foster HA, Signore G, Borghini A, Andreassi M, Andreazzoli M, Bicciato S, Pè ME, Angeloni D. Microgravity and space radiation inhibit autophagy in human capillary endothelial cells, through either opposite or synergistic effects on specific molecular pathways. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:28. [PMID: 34936031 PMCID: PMC11072227 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Microgravity and space radiation (SR) are two highly influential factors affecting humans in space flight (SF). Many health problems reported by astronauts derive from endothelial dysfunction and impaired homeostasis. Here, we describe the adaptive response of human, capillary endothelial cells to SF. Reference samples on the ground and at 1g onboard permitted discrimination between the contribution of microgravity and SR within the combined responses to SF. Cell softening and reduced motility occurred in SF cells, with a loss of actin stress fibers and a broader distribution of microtubules and intermediate filaments within the cytoplasm than in control cells. Furthermore, in space the number of primary cilia per cell increased and DNA repair mechanisms were found to be activated. Transcriptomics revealed the opposing effects of microgravity from SR for specific molecular pathways: SR, unlike microgravity, stimulated pathways for endothelial activation, such as hypoxia and inflammation, DNA repair and apoptosis, inhibiting autophagic flux and promoting an aged-like phenotype. Conversely, microgravity, unlike SR, activated pathways for metabolism and a pro-proliferative phenotype. Therefore, we suggest microgravity and SR should be considered separately to tailor effective countermeasures to protect astronauts' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Barravecchia
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara De Cesari
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56123, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mattia Forcato
- Center for Genome Research, Department of Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Scebba
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Olga V Pyankova
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Joanna M Bridger
- Laboratory of Nuclear and Genomic Health, Centre of Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Division of Biosciences, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Helen A Foster
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | | | - Andrea Borghini
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Silvio Bicciato
- Center for Genome Research, Department of Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Mario Enrico Pè
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Debora Angeloni
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Via G. Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
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19
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Ferenc J, Papasaikas P, Ferralli J, Nakamura Y, Smallwood S, Tsiairis CD. Mechanical oscillations orchestrate axial patterning through Wnt activation in Hydra. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj6897. [PMID: 34890235 PMCID: PMC8664257 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj6897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical input shapes cell fate decisions during development and regeneration in many systems, yet the mechanisms of this cross-talk are often unclear. In regenerating Hydra tissue spheroids, periodic osmotically driven inflation and deflation cycles generate mechanical stimuli in the form of tissue stretching. Here, we demonstrate that tissue stretching during inflation is important for the appearance of the head organizer—a group of cells that secrete the Wnt3 ligand. Exploiting time series RNA expression profiles, we identify the up-regulation of Wnt signaling as a key readout of the mechanical input. In this system, the levels of Wnt3 expression correspond to the levels of stretching, and Wnt3 overexpression alone enables successful regeneration in the absence of mechanical stimulation. Our findings enable the incorporation of mechanical signals in the framework of Hydra patterning and highlight the broad significance of mechanochemical feedback loops for patterning epithelial lumens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslav Ferenc
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Panagiotis Papasaikas
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jacqueline Ferralli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yukio Nakamura
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, UK
| | - Sebastien Smallwood
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Charisios D. Tsiairis
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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20
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Mechanical mapping of mammalian follicle development using Brillouin microscopy. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1133. [PMID: 34580426 PMCID: PMC8476509 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02662-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In early mammalian development, the maturation of follicles containing the immature oocytes is an important biological process as the functional oocytes provide the bulk genetic and cytoplasmic materials for successful reproduction. Despite recent work demonstrating the regulatory role of mechanical stress in oocyte growth, quantitative studies of ovarian mechanical properties remain lacking both in vivo and ex vivo. In this work, we quantify the material properties of ooplasm, follicles and connective tissues in intact mouse ovaries at distinct stages of follicle development using Brillouin microscopy, a non-invasive tool to probe mechanics in three-dimensional (3D) tissues. We find that the ovarian cortex and its interior stroma have distinct material properties associated with extracellular matrix deposition, and that intra-follicular mechanical compartments emerge during follicle maturation. Our work provides an alternative approach to study the role of mechanics in follicle morphogenesis and might pave the way for future understanding of mechanotransduction in reproductive biology, with potential implications for infertility diagnosis and treatment.
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21
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Abstract
Micropatterning encompasses a set of methods aimed at precisely controlling the spatial distribution of molecules onto the surface of materials. Biologists have borrowed the idea and adapted these methods, originally developed for electronics, to impose physical constraints on biological systems with the aim of addressing fundamental questions across biological scales from molecules to multicellular systems. Here, I approach this topic from a developmental biologist's perspective focusing specifically on how and why micropatterning has gained in popularity within the developmental biology community in recent years. Overall, this Primer provides a concise overview of how micropatterns are used to study developmental processes and emphasises how micropatterns are a useful addition to the developmental biologist's toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Blin
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
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22
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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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23
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Lebedeva T, Aman AJ, Graf T, Niedermoser I, Zimmermann B, Kraus Y, Schatka M, Demilly A, Technau U, Genikhovich G. Cnidarian-bilaterian comparison reveals the ancestral regulatory logic of the β-catenin dependent axial patterning. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4032. [PMID: 34188050 PMCID: PMC8241978 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24346-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In animals, body axis patterning is based on the concentration-dependent interpretation of graded morphogen signals, which enables correct positioning of the anatomical structures. The most ancient axis patterning system acting across animal phyla relies on β-catenin signaling, which directs gastrulation, and patterns the main body axis. However, within Bilateria, the patterning logic varies significantly between protostomes and deuterostomes. To deduce the ancestral principles of β-catenin-dependent axial patterning, we investigate the oral–aboral axis patterning in the sea anemone Nematostella—a member of the bilaterian sister group Cnidaria. Here we elucidate the regulatory logic by which more orally expressed β-catenin targets repress more aborally expressed β-catenin targets, and progressively restrict the initially global, maternally provided aboral identity. Similar regulatory logic of β-catenin-dependent patterning in Nematostella and deuterostomes suggests a common evolutionary origin of these processes and the equivalence of the cnidarian oral–aboral and the bilaterian posterior–anterior body axes. The authors show in Nematostella that the more orally expressed β-catenin targets repress the more aborally expressed β-catenin targets, thus patterning the oral-aboral axis. This likely represents the common mechanism of β-catenin-dependent axial patterning shared by Cnidaria and Bilateria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Lebedeva
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrew J Aman
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Graf
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Isabell Niedermoser
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bob Zimmermann
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yulia Kraus
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1/12, Moscow, Russia
| | - Magdalena Schatka
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Adrien Demilly
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Grigory Genikhovich
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna, Austria.
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24
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Reassembling gastrulation. Dev Biol 2021; 474:71-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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25
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Abstract
The generation of organismal form - morphogenesis - arises from forces produced at the cellular level. In animal cells, much of this force is produced by the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we review how mechanisms of actin-based force generation are deployed during animal morphogenesis to sculpt organs and organisms. Furthermore, we consider how cytoskeletal forces are coupled through cell adhesions to propagate across tissues, and discuss cases where cytoskeletal force or adhesion is patterned across a tissue to direct shape changes. Together, our review provides a conceptual framework that reflects our current understanding of animal morphogenesis and gives perspectives on future opportunities for study.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Nathaniel Clarke
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Adam C Martin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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26
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El Sabeh M, Saha SK, Afrin S, Islam MS, Borahay MA. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in uterine leiomyoma: role in tumor biology and targeting opportunities. Mol Cell Biochem 2021; 476:3513-3536. [PMID: 33999334 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04174-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Uterine leiomyoma is the most common tumor of the female reproductive system and originates from a single transformed myometrial smooth muscle cell. Despite the immense medical, psychosocial, and financial impact, the exact underlying mechanisms of leiomyoma pathobiology are poorly understood. Alterations of signaling pathways are thought to be instrumental in leiomyoma biology. Wnt/β-catenin pathway appears to be involved in several aspects of the genesis of leiomyomas. For example, Wnt5b is overexpressed in leiomyoma, and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway appears to mediate the role of MED12 mutations, the most common mutations in leiomyoma, in tumorigenesis. Moreover, Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a paracrine role where estrogen/progesterone treatment of mature myometrial or leiomyoma cells leads to increased expression of Wnt11 and Wnt16, which induces proliferation of leiomyoma stem cells and tumor growth. Constitutive activation of β-catenin leads to myometrial hyperplasia and leiomyoma-like lesions in animal models. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is also closely involved in mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix regulation and relevant alterations in leiomyoma, and crosstalk is noted between Wnt/β-catenin signaling and other pathways known to regulate leiomyoma development and growth such as estrogen, progesterone, TGFβ, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, IGF, Hippo, and Notch signaling. Finally, evidence suggests that inhibition of the canonical Wnt pathway using β-catenin inhibitors inhibits leiomyoma cell proliferation. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of leiomyoma development is essential for effective treatment. The specific Wnt/β-catenin pathway molecules discussed in this review constitute compelling candidates for therapeutic targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak El Sabeh
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Subbroto Kumar Saha
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sadia Afrin
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Md Soriful Islam
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mostafa A Borahay
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Morgani SM, Su J, Nichols J, Massagué J, Hadjantonakis AK. The transcription factor Rreb1 regulates epithelial architecture, invasiveness, and vasculogenesis in early mouse embryos. eLife 2021; 10:e64811. [PMID: 33929320 PMCID: PMC8131102 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras-responsive element-binding protein 1 (Rreb1) is a zinc-finger transcription factor acting downstream of RAS signaling. Rreb1 has been implicated in cancer and Noonan-like RASopathies. However, little is known about its role in mammalian non-disease states. Here, we show that Rreb1 is essential for mouse embryonic development. Loss of Rreb1 led to a reduction in the expression of vasculogenic factors, cardiovascular defects, and embryonic lethality. During gastrulation, the absence of Rreb1 also resulted in the upregulation of cytoskeleton-associated genes, a change in the organization of F-ACTIN and adherens junctions within the pluripotent epiblast, and perturbed epithelial architecture. Moreover, Rreb1 mutant cells ectopically exited the epiblast epithelium through the underlying basement membrane, paralleling cell behaviors observed during metastasis. Thus, disentangling the function of Rreb1 in development should shed light on its role in cancer and other diseases involving loss of epithelial integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M Morgani
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre Cambridge Biomedical CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jie Su
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Jennifer Nichols
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre Cambridge Biomedical CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Joan Massagué
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
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28
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Espina JA, Marchant CL, Barriga EH. Durotaxis: the mechanical control of directed cell migration. FEBS J 2021; 289:2736-2754. [PMID: 33811732 PMCID: PMC9292038 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Directed cell migration is essential for cells to efficiently migrate in physiological and pathological processes. While migrating in their native environment, cells interact with multiple types of cues, such as mechanical and chemical signals. The role of chemical guidance via chemotaxis has been studied in the past, the understanding of mechanical guidance of cell migration via durotaxis remained unclear until very recently. Nonetheless, durotaxis has become a topic of intensive research and several advances have been made in the study of mechanically guided cell migration across multiple fields. Thus, in this article we provide a state of the art about durotaxis by discussing in silico, in vitro and in vivo data. We also present insights on the general mechanisms by which cells sense, transduce and respond to environmental mechanics, to then contextualize these mechanisms in the process of durotaxis and explain how cells bias their migration in anisotropic substrates. Furthermore, we discuss what is known about durotaxis in vivo and we comment on how haptotaxis could arise from integrating durotaxis and chemotaxis in native environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Espina
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cristian L Marchant
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Elias H Barriga
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
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29
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Architectural control of metabolic plasticity in epithelial cancer cells. Commun Biol 2021; 4:371. [PMID: 33742081 PMCID: PMC7979883 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01899-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic plasticity enables cancer cells to switch between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to adapt to changing conditions during cancer progression, whereas metabolic dependencies limit plasticity. To understand a role for the architectural environment in these processes we examined metabolic dependencies of cancer cells cultured in flat (2D) and organotypic (3D) environments. Here we show that cancer cells in flat cultures exist in a high energy state (oxidative phosphorylation), are glycolytic, and depend on glucose and glutamine for growth. In contrast, cells in organotypic culture exhibit lower energy and glycolysis, with extensive metabolic plasticity to maintain growth during glucose or amino acid deprivation. Expression of KRASG12V in organotypic cells drives glucose dependence, however cells retain metabolic plasticity to glutamine deprivation. Finally, our data reveal that mechanical properties control metabolic plasticity, which correlates with canonical Wnt signaling. In summary, our work highlights that the architectural and mechanical properties influence cells to permit or restrict metabolic plasticity.
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30
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Schwarz C, Hadjantonakis AK. Cells under Tension Drive Gastrulation. Dev Cell 2021; 55:669-670. [PMID: 33352138 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Developmental Cell, Muncie et al. describe the generation of gastrulation-like foci of cells within micropatterned colonies of pluripotent stem cells. This demonstration of mechanosensitive β-catenin/Wnt-dependent specification of cell fate during gastrulation illustrates the insights gleaned by placing stem cells in embryo-like mechanical environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton Schwarz
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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31
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Kraus Y, Chevalier S, Houliston E. Cell shape changes during larval body plan development in Clytia hemisphaerica. Dev Biol 2020; 468:59-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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32
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Bailey M, Alunni-Cardinali M, Correa N, Caponi S, Holsgrove T, Barr H, Stone N, Winlove CP, Fioretto D, Palombo F. Viscoelastic properties of biopolymer hydrogels determined by Brillouin spectroscopy: A probe of tissue micromechanics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabc1937. [PMID: 33127678 PMCID: PMC7608813 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc1937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Many problems in mechanobiology urgently require characterization of the micromechanical properties of cells and tissues. Brillouin light scattering has been proposed as an emerging optical elastography technique to meet this need. However, the information contained in the Brillouin spectrum is still a matter of debate because of fundamental problems in understanding the role of water in biomechanics and in relating the Brillouin data to low-frequency macroscopic mechanical parameters. Here, we investigate this question using gelatin as a model system in which the macroscopic physical properties can be manipulated to mimic all the relevant biological states of matter, ranging from the liquid to the gel and the glassy phase. We demonstrate that Brillouin spectroscopy is able to reveal both the elastic and viscous properties of biopolymers that are central to the structure and function of biological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bailey
- University of Exeter, School of Physics and Astronomy, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
| | | | - Noemi Correa
- University of Exeter, School of Physics and Astronomy, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
| | - Silvia Caponi
- CNR-IOM-Istituto Officina dei Materiali-Research Unit in Perugia, Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Perugia I-06123, Italy
| | | | - Hugh Barr
- Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester GL1 3NN, UK
| | - Nick Stone
- University of Exeter, School of Physics and Astronomy, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
| | - C Peter Winlove
- University of Exeter, School of Physics and Astronomy, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
| | - Daniele Fioretto
- University of Perugia, Department of Physics and Geology, Perugia I-06123, Italy.
| | - Francesca Palombo
- University of Exeter, School of Physics and Astronomy, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK.
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33
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Sinigaglia C, Peron S, Eichelbrenner J, Chevalier S, Steger J, Barreau C, Houliston E, Leclère L. Pattern regulation in a regenerating jellyfish. eLife 2020; 9:e54868. [PMID: 32894220 PMCID: PMC7524552 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Jellyfish, with their tetraradial symmetry, offer a novel paradigm for addressing patterning mechanisms during regeneration. Here we show that an interplay between mechanical forces, cell migration and proliferation allows jellyfish fragments to regain shape and functionality rapidly, notably by efficient restoration of the central feeding organ (manubrium). Fragmentation first triggers actomyosin-powered remodeling that restores body umbrella shape, causing radial smooth muscle fibers to converge around 'hubs' which serve as positional landmarks. Stabilization of these hubs, and associated expression of Wnt6, depends on the configuration of the adjoining muscle fiber 'spokes'. Stabilized hubs presage the site of the manubrium blastema, whose growth is Wnt/β-catenin dependent and fueled by both cell proliferation and long-range cell recruitment. Manubrium morphogenesis is modulated by its connections with the gastrovascular canal system. We conclude that body patterning in regenerating jellyfish emerges mainly from local interactions, triggered and directed by the remodeling process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sinigaglia
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Sophie Peron
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Jeanne Eichelbrenner
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Sandra Chevalier
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Julia Steger
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Carine Barreau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Evelyn Houliston
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
| | - Lucas Leclère
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer (LBDV)Villefranche-sur-merFrance
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34
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Agarwal P, Zaidel-Bar R. Mechanosensing in embryogenesis. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:1-9. [PMID: 32898827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical forces generated by living cells at the molecular level propagate to the cellular and organismal level and have profound consequences for embryogenesis. A direct result of force application is movement, as occurs in chromosome separation, cell migration, or tissue folding. A less direct, but equally important effect of force, is the activation of mechanosensitive signaling, which allows cells to probe their mechanical surrounding and communicate with each other over short and long distances. In this review, we focus on forces as a means of conveying information and affecting cell behavior during embryogenesis. We discuss four developmental processes that demonstrate the involvement of force in cell fate determination, growth, morphogenesis, and organogenesis, in a variety of model organisms. Finally, a generalizable pathway of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in vivo is described, and we highlight similarities between morphogens and forces in patterning of embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priti Agarwal
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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35
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Feeding-dependent tentacle development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4399. [PMID: 32879319 PMCID: PMC7467937 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In cnidarians, axial patterning is not restricted to embryogenesis but continues throughout a prolonged life history filled with unpredictable environmental changes. How this developmental capacity copes with fluctuations of food availability and whether it recapitulates embryonic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we utilize the tentacles of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis as an experimental paradigm for developmental patterning across distinct life history stages. By analyzing over 1000 growing polyps, we find that tentacle progression is stereotyped and occurs in a feeding-dependent manner. Using a combination of genetic, cellular and molecular approaches, we demonstrate that the crosstalk between Target of Rapamycin (TOR) and Fibroblast growth factor receptor b (Fgfrb) signaling in ring muscles defines tentacle primordia in fed polyps. Interestingly, Fgfrb-dependent polarized growth is observed in polyp but not embryonic tentacle primordia. These findings show an unexpected plasticity of tentacle development, and link post-embryonic body patterning with food availability. How the developmental capacity of long-lived animals copes with fluctuations in the food supply is unclear. Here, the authors show using the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis that the crosstalk between Target of Rapamycin and fibroblast growth factor signalling in ring muscles links postembryonic tentacle patterning with food availability.
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36
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Nguyen AK, Kilian KA. Physicochemical Tools for Visualizing and Quantifying Cell-Generated Forces. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:1731-1746. [PMID: 32530602 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
To discern how mechanical forces coordinate biological outcomes, methods that map cell-generated forces in a spatiotemporal manner, and at cellular length scales, are critical. In their native environment, whether it be within compact multicellular three-dimensional structures or sparsely populated fibrillar networks of the extracellular matrix, cells are constantly exposed to a slew of physical forces acting on them from all directions. At the same time, cells exert highly localized forces of their own on their surroundings and on neighboring cells. Together, the generation and transmission of these forces can control diverse cellular activities and behavior as well as influence cell fate decisions. To thoroughly understand these processes, we must first be able to characterize and measure such forces. However, our experimental needs and technical capabilities are in discord-while it is apparent that we should study cell-generated forces within more biologically relevant 3D environments, this goal remains challenging because of caveats associated with complex "sensing-transduction-readout" modalities. In this Review, we will discuss the latest techniques for measuring cell-generated forces. We will highlight recent advances in traction force microscopy and examine new alternative approaches for quantifying cell-generated forces, both of individual cells and within 3D tissues. Finally, we will explore the future direction of novel cellular force-sensing tools in the context of mechanobiology and next-generation biomaterials design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K. Nguyen
- School of Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Kristopher A. Kilian
- School of Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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37
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Technau U. Gastrulation and germ layer formation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis and other cnidarians. Mech Dev 2020; 163:103628. [PMID: 32603823 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Among the basally branching metazoans, cnidarians display well-defined gastrulation processes leading to a diploblastic body plan, consisting of an endodermal and an ectodermal cell layer. As the outgroup to all Bilateria, cnidarians are an interesting group to investigate ancestral developmental mechanisms. Interestingly, all known gastrulation mechanisms known in Bilateria are already found in different species of Cnidaria. Here I review the morphogenetic processes found in different Cnidaria and focus on the investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, which has been a major model organism among cnidarians for evolutionary developmental biology. Many of the genes involved in germ layer specification and morphogenetic processes in Bilateria are also found active during gastrulation of Nematostella and other cnidarians, suggesting an ancestral role of this process. The molecular analyses indicate a tight link between gastrulation and axis patterning processes by Wnt and FGF signaling. Interestingly, the endodermal layer displays many features of the mesodermal layer in Bilateria, while the pharyngeal ectoderm has an endodermal expression profile. Comparative analyses as well as experimental studies using embryonic aggregates suggest that minor differences in the gene regulatory networks allow the embryo to transition relatively easily from one mode of gastrulation to another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Technau
- University of Vienna, Dept. of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Wien, Austria.
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38
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Antonacci G, Beck T, Bilenca A, Czarske J, Elsayad K, Guck J, Kim K, Krug B, Palombo F, Prevedel R, Scarcelli G. Recent progress and current opinions in Brillouin microscopy for life science applications. Biophys Rev 2020; 12:615-624. [PMID: 32458371 PMCID: PMC7311586 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00701-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many important biological functions and processes are reflected in cell and tissue mechanical properties such as elasticity and viscosity. However, current techniques used for measuring these properties have major limitations, such as that they can often not measure inside intact cells and/or require physical contact-which cells can react to and change. Brillouin light scattering offers the ability to measure mechanical properties in a non-contact and label-free manner inside of objects with high spatial resolution using light, and hence has emerged as an attractive method during the past decade. This new approach, coined "Brillouin microscopy," which integrates highly interdisciplinary concepts from physics, engineering, and mechanobiology, has led to a vibrant new community that has organized itself via a European funded (COST Action) network. Here we share our current assessment and opinion of the field, as emerged from a recent dedicated workshop. In particular, we discuss the prospects towards improved and more bio-compatible instrumentation, novel strategies to infer more accurate and quantitative mechanical measurements, as well as our current view on the biomechanical interpretation of the Brillouin spectra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Antonacci
- Photonics Research Group, INTEC, Ghent University-imec, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Present address: Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Timon Beck
- Biotechnology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alberto Bilenca
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Jürgen Czarske
- Laboratory of Measurement and Sensor System Technique, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kareem Elsayad
- Advanced Microscopy, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Vienna, Austria.
| | - Jochen Guck
- Biotechnology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kyoohyun Kim
- Biotechnology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benedikt Krug
- Laboratory of Measurement and Sensor System Technique, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Robert Prevedel
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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39
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Srivastava P, Kilian KA. Micro-Engineered Models of Development Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:357. [PMID: 31850326 PMCID: PMC6895561 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
During fetal development, embryonic cells are coaxed through a series of lineage choices which lead to the formation of the three germ layers and subsequently to all the cell types that are required to form an adult human body. Landmark cell fate decisions leading to symmetry breaking, establishment of the primitive streak and first tri-lineage differentiation happen after implantation, and therefore have been attributed to be a function of the embryo's spatiotemporal 3D environment. These mechanical and geometric cues induce a cascade of signaling pathways leading to cell differentiation and orientation. Due to the physiological, ethical, and legal limitations of accessing an intact human embryo for functional studies, multiple in-vitro models have been developed to try and recapitulate the key milestones of mammalian embryogenesis using mouse embryos, or mouse and human embryonic stem cells. More recently, the development of induced pluripotent stem cells represents a cell source which is being explored to prepare a developmental model, owing to their genetic and functional similarities to embryonic stem cells. Here we review the use of micro-engineered cell culture materials as platforms to define the physical and geometric contributions during the cell fate defining process and to study the underlying pathways. This information has applications in various biomedical contexts including tissue engineering, stem cell therapy, and organoid cultures for disease modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Srivastava
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kristopher A. Kilian
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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40
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Sagy N, Slovin S, Allalouf M, Pour M, Savyon G, Boxman J, Nachman I. Prediction and control of symmetry breaking in embryoid bodies by environment and signal integration. Development 2019; 146:dev.181917. [PMID: 31575644 DOI: 10.1242/dev.181917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
During early embryogenesis, mechanical constraints and localized biochemical signals co-occur around anteroposterior axis determination and symmetry breaking. Their relative roles, however, are hard to tease apart in vivo Using brachyury (Bra), a primitive streak and mesendoderm marker in mouse embryoid bodies (EBs), we studied how contact, biochemical cues and neighboring cell cues affect the positioning of a primitive streak-like locus and thus determine the anteroposterior axis. We show that a Bra-competent layer must be formed in the EB before Bra expression initiates, and that Bra onset locus position is biased by contact points of the EB with its surrounding, probably through modulation of chemical cues rather than by mechanical signaling. We can push or pull Bra onset away from contact points by introducing a separate localized Wnt signal source, or maneuver Bra onset to a few loci or to an isotropic peripheral pattern. Furthermore, we show that Foxa2-positive cells are predictive of the future location of Bra onset, demonstrating an earlier symmetry-breaking event. Our analysis of factors affecting symmetry breaking and spatial fate choice during this developmental process could prove valuable for in vitro differentiation and organoid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naor Sagy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Shaked Slovin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Maya Allalouf
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Maayan Pour
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Gaya Savyon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Jonathan Boxman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Iftach Nachman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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Pukhlyakova EA, Kirillova AO, Kraus YA, Zimmermann B, Technau U. A cadherin switch marks germ layer formation in the diploblastic sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Development 2019; 146:dev.174623. [PMID: 31540916 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenesis is a shape-building process during development of multicellular organisms. During this process, the establishment and modulation of cell-cell contacts play an important role. Cadherins, the major cell adhesion molecules, form adherens junctions connecting epithelial cells. Numerous studies of Bilateria have shown that cadherins are associated with the regulation of cell differentiation, cell shape changes, cell migration and tissue morphogenesis. To date, the role of cadherins in non-bilaterians is unknown. Here, we study the expression and function of two paralogous classical cadherins, Cadherin 1 and Cadherin 3, in a diploblastic animal, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis We show that a cadherin switch accompanies the formation of germ layers. Using specific antibodies, we show that both cadherins are localized to adherens junctions at apical and basal positions in ectoderm and endoderm. During gastrulation, partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of endodermal cells is marked by stepwise downregulation of Cadherin 3 and upregulation of Cadherin 1. Knockdown experiments show that both cadherins are required for maintenance of tissue integrity and tissue morphogenesis. Thus, both sea anemones and bilaterians use independently duplicated cadherins combinatorially for tissue morphogenesis and germ layer differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina A Pukhlyakova
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anastasia O Kirillova
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/12, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia A Kraus
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/12, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Bob Zimmermann
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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42
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Brillouin microscopy: an emerging tool for mechanobiology. Nat Methods 2019; 16:969-977. [PMID: 31548707 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0543-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The role and importance of mechanical properties of cells and tissues in cellular function, development and disease has widely been acknowledged, however standard techniques currently used to assess them exhibit intrinsic limitations. Recently, Brillouin microscopy, a type of optical elastography, has emerged as a non-destructive, label- and contact-free method that can probe the viscoelastic properties of biological samples with diffraction-limited resolution in 3D. This led to increased attention amongst the biological and medical research communities, but it also sparked debates about the interpretation and relevance of the measured physical quantities. Here, we review this emerging technology by describing the underlying biophysical principles and discussing the interpretation of Brillouin spectra arising from heterogeneous biological matter. We further elaborate on the technique's limitations, as well as its potential for gaining insights in biology, in order to guide interested researchers from various fields.
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Vianello S, Lutolf MP. Understanding the Mechanobiology of Early Mammalian Development through Bioengineered Models. Dev Cell 2019; 48:751-763. [PMID: 30913407 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Research in developmental biology has been recently enriched by a multitude of in vitro models recapitulating key milestones of mammalian embryogenesis. These models obviate the challenge posed by the inaccessibility of implanted embryos, multiply experimental opportunities, and favor approaches traditionally associated with organoids and tissue engineering. Here, we provide a perspective on how these models can be applied to study the mechano-geometrical contributions to early mammalian development, which still escape direct verification in species that develop in utero. We thus outline new avenues for robust and scalable perturbation of geometry and mechanics in ways traditionally limited to non-implanting developmental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Vianello
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences (SV) and School of Engineering (STI), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias P Lutolf
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences (SV) and School of Engineering (STI), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Science (SB), EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Nathaniel Clarke D, Lowe CJ, James Nelson W. The cadherin-catenin complex is necessary for cell adhesion and embryogenesis in Nematostella vectensis. Dev Biol 2019; 447:170-181. [PMID: 30629955 PMCID: PMC6433513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The cadherin-catenin complex is a conserved, calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion module that is necessary for normal development and the maintenance of tissue integrity in bilaterian animals. Despite longstanding evidence of a deep ancestry of calcium-dependent cell adhesion in animals, the requirement of the cadherin-catenin complex to coordinate cell-cell adhesion has not been tested directly in a non-bilaterian organism. Here, we provide the first analysis of classical cadherins and catenins in the Starlet Sea Anemone, Nematostella vectensis. Gene expression, protein localization, siRNA-mediated knockdown of α-catenin, and calcium-dependent cell aggregation assays provide evidence that a bonafide cadherin-catenin complex is present in the early embryo, and that α-catenin is required for normal embryonic development and the formation of cell-cell adhesions between cells dissociated from whole embryos. Together these results support the hypothesis that the cadherin-catenin complex was likely a complete and functional cell-cell adhesion module in the last common cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor. SUMMARY STATEMENT: Embryonic manipulations and ex vivo adhesion assays in the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, indicate that the necessity of the cadherin-catenin complex for mediating cell-cell adhesion is deeply conserved in animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Nathaniel Clarke
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305, United States.
| | - Christopher J Lowe
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305, United States.
| | - W James Nelson
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305, United States; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305, United States.
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Merle T, Farge E. Trans-scale mechanotransductive cascade of biochemical and biomechanical patterning in embryonic development: the light side of the force. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2018; 55:111-118. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Sanders SM, Ma Z, Hughes JM, Riscoe BM, Gibson GA, Watson AM, Flici H, Frank U, Schnitzler CE, Baxevanis AD, Nicotra ML. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockin in the hydroid Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:649. [PMID: 30176818 PMCID: PMC6122657 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5032-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, a colonial cnidarian, is a tractable model system for many cnidarian-specific and general biological questions. Until recently, tests of gene function in Hydractinia have relied on laborious forward genetic approaches, randomly integrated transgenes, or transient knockdown of mRNAs. RESULTS Here, we report the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate targeted genomic insertions in H. symbiolonigcarpus. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to promote homologous recombination of two fluorescent reporters, eGFP and tdTomato, into the Eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha (Eef1a) locus. We demonstrate that the transgenes are expressed ubiquitously and are stable over two generations of breeding. We further demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing can be used to mark endogenous proteins with FLAG or StrepII-FLAG affinity tags to enable in vivo and ex vivo protein studies. CONCLUSIONS This is the first account of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knockins in Hydractinia and the first example of the germline transmission of a CRISPR/Cas9 inserted transgene in a cnidarian. The ability to precisely insert exogenous DNA into the Hydractinia genome will enable sophisticated genetic studies and further development of functional genomics tools in this understudied cnidarian model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Sanders
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Pittsburgh Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Zhiwei Ma
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Pittsburgh Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Julia M. Hughes
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Pittsburgh Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Brooke M. Riscoe
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Pittsburgh Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Gregory A. Gibson
- Center for Biological Imaging and Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Alan M. Watson
- Center for Biological Imaging and Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Hakima Flici
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Uri Frank
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Christine E. Schnitzler
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, and Department of Biology, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL USA
| | - Andreas D. Baxevanis
- Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Matthew L. Nicotra
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Pittsburgh Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
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