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Asai R, Sinha S, Prakash VN, Mikawa T. Bilateral cellular flows display asymmetry prior to left-right organizer formation in amniote gastrulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.21.590437. [PMID: 38712212 PMCID: PMC11071402 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.21.590437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
A bilateral body plan is predominant throughout the animal kingdom. Bilaterality of amniote embryos becomes recognizable as midline morphogenesis begins at gastrulation, bisecting an embryonic field into the left and right sides, and left-right asymmetry patterning follows. While a series of laterality genes expressed after the left-right compartmentalization has been extensively studied, the laterality patterning prior to and at the initiation of midline morphogenesis has remained unclear. Here, through a biophysical quantification in a high spatial and temporal resolution, applied to a chick model system, we show that a large-scale bilateral counter-rotating cellular flow, termed as 'polonaise movements', display left-right asymmetries in early gastrulation. This cell movement starts prior to the formation of the primitive streak, which is the earliest midline structure, and earlier than expression of laterality genes. The cellular flow speed and vorticity unravel the location and timing of the left-right asymmetries. The bilateral flows displayed a Right dominance after six hours since the start of cell movements. Mitotic arrest that diminishes primitive streak formation resulted in changes in the bilateral flow pattern, but the Right dominance persisted. Our data indicate that the left-right asymmetry in amniote gastrula becomes detectable prior to the point when the asymmetric regulation of the laterality signals at the node leads to the left-right patterning. More broadly, our results suggest that physical processes can play an unexpected but significant role in influencing left-right laterality during embryonic development. Significance Statement Bilaterians are defined by a bilaterally symmetrical body plan. Vertebrates exhibit external bilateral symmetry but display left-right (LR) asymmetry in their internal organs. In amniote embryos, the initiation of LR symmetry breaking is not well understood. Here, we study LR symmetry breaking in the chick embryo due to its easy accessibility and similarity to human development. Our biophysical approaches to quantify cellular flows inferred that LR symmetry breaking occurs prior to the formation of Hensen's node, a LR organizer, which serves as a signaling center for LR patterning programs. Our work demonstrates that quantitative biophysical parameters can help unravel the initiation of LR symmetry breaking, suggesting involvement of physical mechanisms in this critical biological patterning process.
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Serrano Nájera G, Plum AM, Steventon B, Weijer CJ, Serra M. Control of Modular Tissue Flows Shaping the Embryo in Avian Gastrulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.04.601785. [PMID: 39026830 PMCID: PMC11257462 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.04.601785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Avian gastrulation requires coordinated flows of thousands of cells to form the body plan. We quantified these flows using their fundamental kinematic units: one attractor and two repellers constituting its Dynamic Morphoskeleton (DM). We have also elucidated the mechanistic origin of the attractor, marking the primitive streak (PS), and controlled its shape, inducing gastrulation flows in the chick embryo that are typical of other vertebrates. However, the origins of repellers and dynamic embryo shape remain unclear. Here, we address these questions using active matter physics and experiments. Repeller 1, separating the embryo proper (EP) from extraembryonic (EE) tissues, arises from the tug-of-war between EE epiboly and EP isotropic myosin-induced active stress. Repeller 2, bisecting the anterior and posterior PS and associated with embryo shape change, arises from anisotropic myosin-induced active intercalation in the mesendoderm. Combining mechanical confinement with inhibition of mesendoderm induction, we eliminated either one or both repellers, as predicted by our model. Our results reveal a remarkable modularity of avian gastrulation flows delineated by the DM, uncovering the mechanistic roles of EE epiboly, EP active constriction, mesendoderm intercalation and ingression. These findings offer a new perspective for deconstructing morphogenetic flows, uncovering their modular origin, and aiding synthetic morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex M. Plum
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ben Steventon
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Cornelis J. Weijer
- Division of Molec. Cell and Dev. Biology, School of Life Sciences, Univ. of Dundee, UK
| | - Mattia Serra
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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Sinigaglia C, Braghin F, Serra M. Optimal Control of Short-Time Attractors in Active Nematics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:218302. [PMID: 38856253 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.218302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Objective Eulerian coherent structures (OECSs) and instantaneous Lyapunov exponents (iLEs) govern short-term material transport in fluid flows as Lagrangian coherent structures and the finite-time Lyapunov exponent do over longer times. Attracting OECSs and iLEs reveal short-time attractors and are computable from the Eulerian rate-of-strain tensor. Here, we devise for the first time an optimal control strategy to create short-time attractors in compressible, viscosity-dominated active nematic flows. By modulating the active stress intensity, our framework achieves a target profile of the minimum eigenvalue of the rate-of-strain tensor, controlling the location and shape of short-time attractors. We show that our optimal control strategy effectively achieves desired short-time attractors while rejecting disturbances. Combining optimal control and coherent structures, our work offers a new perspective to steer material transport in compressible active nematics, with applications to morphogenesis and synthetic active matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Sinigaglia
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Milan 20156, Italy
| | - Francesco Braghin
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Milan 20156, Italy
| | - Mattia Serra
- University of California San Diego, Department of Physics, San Diego, California 92093, USA
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Asai R, Prakash VN, Sinha S, Prakash M, Mikawa T. Coupling and uncoupling of midline morphogenesis and cell flow in amniote gastrulation. eLife 2024; 12:RP89948. [PMID: 38727576 PMCID: PMC11087055 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89948] [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] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Large-scale cell flow characterizes gastrulation in animal development. In amniote gastrulation, particularly in avian gastrula, a bilateral vortex-like counter-rotating cell flow, called 'polonaise movements', appears along the midline. Here, through experimental manipulations, we addressed relationships between the polonaise movements and morphogenesis of the primitive streak, the earliest midline structure in amniotes. Suppression of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway maintains the polonaise movements along a deformed primitive streak. Mitotic arrest leads to diminished extension and development of the primitive streak and maintains the early phase of the polonaise movements. Ectopically induced Vg1, an axis-inducing morphogen, generates the polonaise movements, aligned to the induced midline, but disturbs the stereotypical cell flow pattern at the authentic midline. Despite the altered cell flow, induction and extension of the primitive streak are preserved along both authentic and induced midlines. Finally, we show that ectopic axis-inducing morphogen, Vg1, is capable of initiating the polonaise movements without concomitant PS extension under mitotic arrest conditions. These results are consistent with a model wherein primitive streak morphogenesis is required for the maintenance of the polonaise movements, but the polonaise movements are not necessarily responsible for primitive streak morphogenesis. Our data describe a previously undefined relationship between the large-scale cell flow and midline morphogenesis in gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieko Asai
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Vivek N Prakash
- Department of Physics, University of MiamiCoral GablesUnited States
| | - Shubham Sinha
- Department of Physics, University of MiamiCoral GablesUnited States
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Takashi Mikawa
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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Asai R, Prakash VN, Sinha S, Prakash M, Mikawa T. Coupling and uncoupling of midline morphogenesis and cell flow in amniote gastrulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.26.542486. [PMID: 37293063 PMCID: PMC10245986 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.26.542486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale cell flow characterizes gastrulation in animal development. In amniote gastrulation, particularly in avian gastrula, a bilateral vortex-like counter-rotating cell flow, called 'polonaise movements', appears along the midline. Here, through experimental manipulations, we addressed relationships between the polonaise movements and morphogenesis of the primitive streak, the earliest midline structure in amniotes. Suppression of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway maintains the polonaise movements along a deformed primitive streak. Mitotic arrest leads to diminished extension and development of the primitive streak and maintains the early phase of the polonaise movements. Ectopically induced Vg1, an axis-inducing morphogen, generates the polonaise movements, aligned to the induced midline, but disturbs the stereotypical cell flow pattern at the authentic midline. Despite the altered cell flow, induction and extension of the primitive streak are preserved along both authentic and induced midlines. Finally, we show that ectopic axis-inducing morphogen, Vg1, is capable of initiating the polonaise movements without concomitant PS extension under mitotic arrest conditions. These results are consistent with a model wherein primitive streak morphogenesis is required for the maintenance of the polonaise movements, but the polonaise movements are not necessarily responsible for primitive streak morphogenesis. Our data describe a previously undefined relationship between the large-scale cell flow and midline morphogenesis in gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieko Asai
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco. San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Vivek N. Prakash
- Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA
| | - Shubham Sinha
- Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Takashi Mikawa
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco. San Francisco, California 94158, USA
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Serra M, Serrano Nájera G, Chuai M, Plum AM, Santhosh S, Spandan V, Weijer CJ, Mahadevan L. A mechanochemical model recapitulates distinct vertebrate gastrulation modes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh8152. [PMID: 38055823 PMCID: PMC10699781 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh8152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
During vertebrate gastrulation, an embryo transforms from a layer of epithelial cells into a multilayered gastrula. This process requires the coordinated movements of hundreds to tens of thousands of cells, depending on the organism. In the chick embryo, patterns of actomyosin cables spanning several cells drive coordinated tissue flows. Here, we derive a minimal theoretical framework that couples actomyosin activity to global tissue flows. Our model predicts the onset and development of gastrulation flows in normal and experimentally perturbed chick embryos, mimicking different gastrulation modes as an active stress instability. Varying initial conditions and a parameter associated with active cell ingression, our model recapitulates distinct vertebrate gastrulation morphologies, consistent with recently published experiments in the chick embryo. Altogether, our results show how changes in the patterning of critical cell behaviors associated with different force-generating mechanisms contribute to distinct vertebrate gastrulation modes via a self-organizing mechanochemical process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Serra
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Guillermo Serrano Nájera
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Manli Chuai
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Alex M. Plum
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sreejith Santhosh
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Vamsi Spandan
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Cornelis J. Weijer
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - L. Mahadevan
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Departments of Physics, and Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Ioratim-Uba A, Liverpool TB, Henkes S. Mechanochemical Active Feedback Generates Convergence Extension in Epithelial Tissue. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:238301. [PMID: 38134807 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.238301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Convergence extension, the simultaneous elongation of tissue along one axis while narrowing along a perpendicular axis, occurs during embryonic development. A fundamental process that contributes to shaping the organism, it happens in many different species and tissue types. Here, we present a minimal continuum model, that can be directly linked to the controlling microscopic biochemistry, which shows spontaneous convergence extension. It is comprised of a 2D viscoelastic active material with a mechanochemical active feedback mechanism coupled to a substrate via friction. Robust convergent extension behavior emerges beyond a critical value of the activity parameter and is controlled by the boundary conditions and the coupling to the substrate. Oscillations and spatial patterns emerge in this model when internal dissipation dominates over friction, as well as in the active elastic limit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Silke Henkes
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, United Kingdom
- Lorentz Institute for Theoretical Physics, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CA, The Netherlands
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Akhurst RJ. From shape-shifting embryonic cells to oncology: The fascinating history of epithelial mesenchymal transition. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:100-114. [PMID: 37852342 PMCID: PMC10883734 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.10.003] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or transformation (EMT) is a cell shape-changing process that is utilized repeatedly throughout embryogenesis and is critical to the attainment of a precise body plan. In the adult, EMT is observed under both normal and pathological conditions, such as during normal wounding healing, during development of certain fibrotic states and vascular anomalies, as well as in some cancers when malignant cells progress to become more aggressive, invasive, and metastatic. Epithelia derived from any of the three embryonic germ layers can undergo EMT, including those derived from mesoderm, such as endothelial cells (sometimes termed Endo-MT) and those derived from endoderm such as fetal liver stroma. At the cellular level, EMT is defined as the transformation of epithelial cells towards a mesenchymal phenotype and is marked by attenuation of expression of epithelial markers and de novo expression of mesenchymal markers. This process is induced by extracellular factors and can be reversible, resulting in mesenchymal-to-epithelial transformation (MET). It is now clear that a cell can simultaneously express properties of both epithelia and mesenchyme, and that such transitional cell-types drive tumor cell heterogeneity, an important aspect of cancer progression, development of a stem-like cell state, and drug resistance. Here we review some of the earliest studies demonstrating the existence of EMT during embryogenesis and discuss the discovery of the extracellular factors and intracellular signaling pathways that contribute to this process, with components of the TGFβ signaling superfamily playing a prominent role. We mention early controversies surrounding in vivo EMT during embryonic development and in adult diseased states, and the maturation of the field to a stage wherein targeting EMT to control disease states is an aspirational goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Akhurst
- Department of Anatomy and UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, USA
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Abstract
During gastrulation, early embryos specify and reorganise the topology of their germ layers. Surprisingly, this fundamental and early process does not appear to be rigidly constrained by evolutionary pressures; instead, the morphology of gastrulation is highly variable throughout the animal kingdom. Recent experimental results demonstrate that it is possible to generate different alternative gastrulation modes in single organisms, such as in early cnidarian, arthropod and vertebrate embryos. Here, we review the mechanisms that underlie the plasticity of vertebrate gastrulation both when experimentally manipulated and during evolution. Using the insights obtained from these experiments we discuss the effects of the increase in yolk volume on the morphology of gastrulation and provide new insights into two crucial innovations during amniote gastrulation: the transition from a ring-shaped mesoderm domain in anamniotes to a crescent-shaped domain in amniotes, and the evolution of the reptilian blastoporal plate/canal into the avian primitive streak.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cornelis J. Weijer
- School of Life Sciences Research Complex, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
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