1
|
Caliaro V, Peurichard D, Chara O. How a reaction-diffusion signal can control spinal cord regeneration in axolotls: A modeling study. iScience 2024; 27:110197. [PMID: 39021793 PMCID: PMC11253152 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110197] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Axolotls are uniquely able to completely regenerate the spinal cord after amputation. The underlying governing mechanisms of this regenerative response have not yet been fully elucidated. We previously found that spinal cord regeneration is mainly driven by cell-cycle acceleration of ependymal cells, recruited by a hypothetical signal propagating from the injury. However, the nature of the signal and its propagation remain unknown. In this theoretical study, we investigated whether the regeneration-inducing signal can follow a reaction-diffusion process. We developed a computational model, validated it with experimental data, and showed that the signal dynamics can be understood in terms of reaction-diffusion mechanism. By developing a theory of the regenerating outgrowth in the limit of fast reaction-diffusion, we demonstrate that control of regenerative response solely relies on cell-to-signal sensitivity and the signal reaction-diffusion characteristic length. This study lays foundations for further identification of the signal controlling regeneration of the spinal cord.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Caliaro
- Inria Paris, team MAMBA, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Université de Paris, Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions UMR7598, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Diane Peurichard
- Inria Paris, team MAMBA, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Université de Paris, Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions UMR7598, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Osvaldo Chara
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham LE12 5RD, UK
- Instituto de Tecnología, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa, Buenos Aires C1073AAO, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liberali P, Schier AF. The evolution of developmental biology through conceptual and technological revolutions. Cell 2024; 187:3461-3495. [PMID: 38906136 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Developmental biology-the study of the processes by which cells, tissues, and organisms develop and change over time-has entered a new golden age. After the molecular genetics revolution in the 80s and 90s and the diversification of the field in the early 21st century, we have entered a phase when powerful technologies provide new approaches and open unexplored avenues. Progress in the field has been accelerated by advances in genomics, imaging, engineering, and computational biology and by emerging model systems ranging from tardigrades to organoids. We summarize how revolutionary technologies have led to remarkable progress in understanding animal development. We describe how classic questions in gene regulation, pattern formation, morphogenesis, organogenesis, and stem cell biology are being revisited. We discuss the connections of development with evolution, self-organization, metabolism, time, and ecology. We speculate how developmental biology might evolve in an era of synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and human engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prisca Liberali
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Viswanathan PK, Chessel A, Molina MD, Haillot E, Lepage T. Maternal TGF-β ligand Panda breaks the radial symmetry of the sea urchin embryo by antagonizing the Nodal type II receptor ACVRII. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002701. [PMID: 38913712 PMCID: PMC11239237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002701] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the highly regulative embryo of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, establishment of the dorsal-ventral (D/V) axis critically depends on the zygotic expression of the TGF-β nodal in the ventral ectoderm. nodal expression is first induced ubiquitously in the 32-cell embryo and becomes progressively restricted to the presumptive ventral ectoderm by the early blastula stage. This early spatial restriction of nodal expression is independent of Lefty, and instead relies on the activity of Panda, a maternally expressed TGF-β ligand related to Lefty and Inhibins, which is required maternally for D/V axis specification. However, the mechanism by which Panda restricts the early nodal expression has remained enigmatic and it is not known if Panda works like a BMP ligand by opposing Nodal and antagonizing Smad2/3 signaling, or if it works like Lefty by sequestering an essential component of the Nodal signaling pathway. In this study, we report that Panda functions as an antagonist of the TGF-β type II receptor ACVRII (Activin receptor type II), which is the only type II receptor for Nodal signaling in the sea urchin and is also a type II receptor for BMP ligands. Inhibiting translation of acvrII mRNA disrupted D/V patterning across all 3 germ layers and caused acvrII morphants to develop with a typical Nodal loss-of-function phenotype. In contrast, embryos overexpressing acvrII displayed strong ectopic Smad1/5/8 signaling at blastula stages and developed as dorsalized larvae, a phenotype very similar to that caused by over activation of BMP signaling. Remarkably, embryos co-injected with acvrII mRNA and panda mRNA did not show ectopic Smad1/5/8 signaling and developed with a largely normal dorsal-ventral polarity. Furthermore, using an axis induction assay, we found that Panda blocks the ability of ACVRII to orient the D/V axis when overexpressed locally. Using co-immunoprecipitation, we showed that Panda physically interacts with ACVRII, as well as with the Nodal co-receptor Cripto, and with TBR3 (Betaglycan), which is a non-signaling receptor for Inhibins in mammals. At the molecular level, we have traced back the antagonistic activity of Panda to the presence of a single proline residue, conserved with all the Lefty factors, in the ACVRII binding motif of Panda, instead of a serine as in most of TGF-β ligands. Conversion of this proline to a serine converted Panda from an antagonist that opposed Nodal signaling and promoted dorsalization to an agonist that promoted Nodal signaling and triggered ventralization when overexpressed. Finally, using phylogenomics, we analyzed the emergence of the agonist and antagonist form of Panda in the course of evolution. Our data are consistent with the idea that the presence of a serine at that position, like in most TGF-β, was the ancestral condition and that the initial function of Panda was possibly in promoting and not in antagonizing Nodal signaling. These results highlight the existence of key functional and structural elements conserved between Panda and Lefty, allow to draw an intriguing parallel between sea urchin Panda and mammalian Inhibin α and raise the unexpected possibility that the original function of Panda may have been in activation of the Nodal pathway rather than in its inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Aline Chessel
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mii Y. Understanding and manipulating extracellular behaviors of Wnt ligands. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024; 60:441-448. [PMID: 38379096 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-024-00856-9] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Wnt, a family of secreted signaling proteins, serves diverse functions in embryogenesis, organogenesis, cancer, and stem cell functions. In the context of development, Wnt has been considered a representative morphogen, forming concentration gradients to give positional information to cells or tissues. However, although gradients are often illustrated in schemata, the reality of concentration gradients, or in other words, actual spatial distribution of Wnt ligands, and their behaviors in the extracellular space still remain poorly known. To understand extracellular behavior of Wnt ligands, quantitative analyses such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) are highly informative because Wnt dispersal involves physical and biochemical processes, such as diffusion and binding to or dissociation from cell surface molecules, including heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Here, I briefly discuss representative methods to quantify morphogen dynamics. In addition, I discuss molecular manipulations of morphogens, mainly focusing on use of protein binders, and synthetic biology of morphogens as indicators of current and future directions in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Mii
- National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB) and Exploratory Research Center On Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McNamara HM, Jia BZ, Guyer A, Parot VJ, Dobbs C, Schier AF, Cohen AE, Lord ND. Optogenetic control of Nodal signaling patterns. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.11.588875. [PMID: 38645239 PMCID: PMC11030342 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.11.588875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
A crucial step in early embryogenesis is the establishment of spatial patterns of signaling activity. Tools to perturb morphogen signals with high resolution in space and time can help reveal how embryonic cells decode these signals to make appropriate fate decisions. Here, we present new optogenetic reagents and an experimental pipeline for creaHng designer Nodal signaling patterns in live zebrafish embryos. Nodal receptors were fused to the light-sensitive heterodimerizing pair Cry2/CIB1N, and the Type II receptor was sequestered to the cytosol. The improved optoNodal2 reagents eliminate dark activity and improve response kinetics, without sacrificing dynamic range. We adapted an ultra-widefield microscopy platform for parallel light patterning in up to 36 embryos and demonstrated precise spatial control over Nodal signaling activity and downstream gene expression. Patterned Nodal activation drove precisely controlled internalization of endodermal precursors. Further, we used patterned illumination to generate synthetic signaling patterns in Nodal signaling mutants, rescuing several characteristic developmental defects. This study establishes an experimental toolkit for systematic exploration of Nodal signaling patterns in live embryos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bill Z. Jia
- Department of Systems Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alison Guyer
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vicente J. Parot
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Caleb Dobbs
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Adam E. Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nathan D. Lord
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Scacchi E, Paszkiewicz G, Thi Nguyen K, Meda S, Burian A, de Back W, Timmermans MCP. A diffusible small-RNA-based Turing system dynamically coordinates organ polarity. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:412-422. [PMID: 38409292 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01634-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
The formation of a flat and thin leaf presents a developmentally challenging problem, requiring intricate regulation of adaxial-abaxial (top-bottom) polarity. The patterning principles controlling the spatial arrangement of these domains during organ growth have remained unclear. Here we show that this regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana is achieved by an organ-autonomous Turing reaction-diffusion system centred on mobile small RNAs. The data illustrate how Turing dynamics transiently instructed by prepatterned information is sufficient to self-sustain properly oriented polarity in a dynamic, growing organ, presenting intriguing parallels to left-right patterning in the vertebrate embryo. Computational modelling demonstrates that this self-organizing system continuously adapts to coordinate the robust planar polarity of a flat leaf while affording flexibility to generate the tissue patterns of evolutionarily diverse organ shapes. Our findings identify a small-RNA-based Turing network as a dynamic regulator of organ polarity that accounts for leaf shape diversity at the level of the individual organ, plant or species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Scacchi
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Gael Paszkiewicz
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Khoa Thi Nguyen
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Shreyas Meda
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Agata Burian
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Walter de Back
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sudderick ZR, Glover JD. Periodic pattern formation during embryonic development. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:75-88. [PMID: 38288903 PMCID: PMC10903485 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230197] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
During embryonic development many organs and structures require the formation of series of repeating elements known as periodic patterns. Ranging from the digits of the limb to the feathers of the avian skin, the correct formation of these embryonic patterns is essential for the future form and function of these tissues. However, the mechanisms that produce these patterns are not fully understood due to the existence of several modes of pattern generation which often differ between organs and species. Here, we review the current state of the field and provide a perspective on future approaches to studying this fundamental process of embryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe R. Sudderick
- The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, U.K
| | - James D. Glover
- The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Athilingam T, Nelanuthala AVS, Breen C, Karedla N, Fritzsche M, Wohland T, Saunders TE. Long-range formation of the Bicoid gradient requires multiple dynamic modes that spatially vary across the embryo. Development 2024; 151:dev202128. [PMID: 38345326 PMCID: PMC10911119 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202128] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Morphogen gradients provide essential positional information to gene networks through their spatially heterogeneous distribution, yet how they form is still hotly contested, with multiple models proposed for different systems. Here, we focus on the transcription factor Bicoid (Bcd), a morphogen that forms an exponential gradient across the anterior-posterior (AP) axis of the early Drosophila embryo. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy we find there are spatial differences in Bcd diffusivity along the AP axis, with Bcd diffusing more rapidly in the posterior. We establish that such spatially varying differences in Bcd dynamics are sufficient to explain how Bcd can have a steep exponential gradient in the anterior half of the embryo and yet still have an observable fraction of Bcd near the posterior pole. In the nucleus, we demonstrate that Bcd dynamics are impacted by binding to DNA. Addition of the Bcd homeodomain to eGFP::NLS qualitatively replicates the Bcd concentration profile, suggesting this domain regulates Bcd dynamics. Our results reveal how a long-range gradient can form while retaining a steep profile through much of its range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thamarailingam Athilingam
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore117411
| | - Ashwin V. S. Nelanuthala
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore117558
| | | | - Narain Karedla
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Marco Fritzsche
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore117558
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore117558
| | - Timothy E. Saunders
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore117411
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore117558
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Shi C, Chen S, Liu H, Pan R, Li S, Wang Y, Wu X, Li J, Li X, Xing C, Liu X, Wang Y, Qu Q, Li G. Evolution of the gene regulatory network of body axis by enhancer hijacking in amphioxus. eLife 2024; 13:e89615. [PMID: 38231024 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89615] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
A central goal of evolutionary developmental biology is to decipher the evolutionary pattern of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that control embryonic development, and the mechanism underlying GRNs evolution. The Nodal signaling that governs the body axes of deuterostomes exhibits a conserved GRN orchestrated principally by Nodal, Gdf1/3, and Lefty. Here we show that this GRN has been rewired in cephalochordate amphioxus. We found that while the amphioxus Gdf1/3 ortholog exhibited nearly no embryonic expression, its duplicate Gdf1/3-like, linked to Lefty, was zygotically expressed in a similar pattern as Lefty. Consistent with this, while Gdf1/3-like mutants showed defects in axial development, Gdf1/3 mutants did not. Further transgenic analyses showed that the intergenic region between Gdf1/3-like and Lefty could drive reporter gene expression as that of the two genes. These results indicated that Gdf1/3-like has taken over the axial development role of Gdf1/3 in amphioxus, possibly through hijacking Lefty enhancers. We finally demonstrated that, to compensate for the loss of maternal Gdf1/3 expression, Nodal has become an indispensable maternal factor in amphioxus and its maternal mutants caused axial defects as Gdf1/3-like mutants. We therefore demonstrated a case that the evolution of GRNs could be triggered by enhancer hijacking events. This pivotal event has allowed the emergence of a new GRN in extant amphioxus, presumably through a stepwise process. In addition, the co-expression of Gdf1/3-like and Lefty achieved by a shared regulatory region may have provided robustness during body axis formation, which provides a selection-based hypothesis for the phenomena called developmental system drift.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenggang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shuang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huimin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Rongrong Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shiqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaotong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xuewen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chaofan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yiquan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Qingming Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Guang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
De Simone A. Quantitative Live Imaging of Zebrafish Scale Regeneration: From Adult Fish to Signaling Patterns and Tissue Flows. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2707:185-204. [PMID: 37668913 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3401-1_12] [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] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
In regeneration, a damaged body part grows back to its original form. Understanding the mechanisms and physical principles underlying this process has been limited by the difficulties of visualizing cell signals and behaviors in regeneration. Zebrafish scales are emerging as a model system to investigate morphogenesis during vertebrate regeneration using quantitative live imaging. Scales are millimeter-sized dermal bone disks forming a skeletal armor on the body of the fish. The scale bone is deposited by an adjacent monolayer of osteoblasts that, after scale loss, regenerates in about 2 weeks. This intriguing regenerative process is accessible to live confocal microscopy, quantifications, and mathematical modeling. Here, I describe methods to image scale regeneration live, tissue-wide and at sub-cellular resolution. Furthermore, I describe methods to process the resulting images and quantify cell, tissue, and signal dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro De Simone
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Toulany N, Morales-Navarrete H, Čapek D, Grathwohl J, Ünalan M, Müller P. Uncovering developmental time and tempo using deep learning. Nat Methods 2023; 20:2000-2010. [PMID: 37996754 PMCID: PMC10703695 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02083-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
During animal development, embryos undergo complex morphological changes over time. Differences in developmental tempo between species are emerging as principal drivers of evolutionary novelty, but accurate description of these processes is very challenging. To address this challenge, we present here an automated and unbiased deep learning approach to analyze the similarity between embryos of different timepoints. Calculation of similarities across stages resulted in complex phenotypic fingerprints, which carry characteristic information about developmental time and tempo. Using this approach, we were able to accurately stage embryos, quantitatively determine temperature-dependent developmental tempo, detect naturally occurring and induced changes in the developmental progression of individual embryos, and derive staging atlases for several species de novo in an unsupervised manner. Our approach allows us to quantify developmental time and tempo objectively and provides a standardized way to analyze early embryogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikan Toulany
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
- University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hernán Morales-Navarrete
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniel Čapek
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jannis Grathwohl
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Murat Ünalan
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.
- University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. Development 2023; 150:dev202010. [PMID: 37840469 PMCID: PMC10690059 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202010] [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: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Although mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied during vertebrate morphogenesis. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulate avian hindgut morphogenesis in a coordinated manner. Posterior endoderm cells convert a gradient of FGF ligands into a contractile force gradient, leading to a force imbalance that drives collective cell movements that elongate the forming hindgut tube. We formulated a 2D reaction-diffusion-advection model describing the formation of an FGF protein gradient as a result of posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion and degradation of FGF protein. The endoderm was modeled as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. With parameter values constrained by experimental data, the model replicates key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, suggests that graded isotropic contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with axis elongation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Oikonomou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- 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
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Alessio BM, Gupta A. Diffusiophoresis-enhanced Turing patterns. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadj2457. [PMID: 37939177 PMCID: PMC10631721 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Turing patterns are fundamental in biophysics, emerging from short-range activation and long-range inhibition processes. However, their paradigm is based on diffusive transport processes that yield patterns with shallower gradients than those observed in nature. A complete physical description of this discrepancy remains unknown. We propose a solution to this phenomenon by investigating the role of diffusiophoresis, which is the propulsion of colloids by a chemical gradient, in Turing patterns. Diffusiophoresis enables robust patterning of colloidal particles with substantially finer length scales than the accompanying chemical Turing patterns. A scaling analysis and a comparison to recent experiments indicate that chromatophores, ubiquitous in biological pattern formation, are likely diffusiophoretic and the colloidal Péclet number controls the pattern enhancement. This discovery suggests that important features of biological pattern formation can be explained with a universal mechanism that is quantified straightforwardly from the fundamental physics of colloids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Alessio
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dingal PCDP, Carte AN, Montague TG, Lim Suan MB, Schier AF. Molecular mechanisms controlling the biogenesis of the TGF-β signal Vg1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2307203120. [PMID: 37844219 PMCID: PMC10614602 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307203120] [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: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The TGF-beta signals Vg1 (Dvr1/Gdf3) and Nodal form heterodimers to induce vertebrate mesendoderm. The Vg1 proprotein is a monomer retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is processed and secreted upon heterodimerization with Nodal, but the mechanisms underlying Vg1 biogenesis are largely elusive. Here, we clarify the mechanisms underlying Vg1 retention, processing, secretion, and signaling and introduce a Synthetic Processing (SynPro) system that enables the programmed cleavage of ER-resident and extracellular proteins. First, we find that Vg1 can be processed by intra- or extracellular proteases. Second, Vg1 can be processed without Nodal but requires Nodal for secretion and signaling. Third, Vg1-Nodal signaling activity requires Vg1 processing, whereas Nodal can remain unprocessed. Fourth, Vg1 employs exposed cysteines, glycosylated asparagines, and BiP chaperone-binding motifs for monomer retention in the ER. These observations suggest two mechanisms for rapid mesendoderm induction: Chaperone-binding motifs help store Vg1 as an inactive but ready-to-heterodimerize monomer in the ER, and the flexibility of Vg1 processing location allows efficient generation of active heterodimers both intra- and extracellularly. These results establish SynPro as an in vivo processing system and define molecular mechanisms and motifs that facilitate the generation of active TGF-beta heterodimers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P. C. Dave P. Dingal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX75080
| | - Adam N. Carte
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Tessa G. Montague
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Medel B. Lim Suan
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX75080
| | - Alexander F. Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056Basel, Switzerland
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98109
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vasic I, Libby ARG, Maslan A, Bulger EA, Zalazar D, Krakora Compagno MZ, Streets A, Tomoda K, Yamanaka S, McDevitt TC. Loss of TJP1 disrupts gastrulation patterning and increases differentiation toward the germ cell lineage in human pluripotent stem cells. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1477-1488.e5. [PMID: 37354899 PMCID: PMC10529434 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Biological patterning events that occur early in development establish proper tissue morphogenesis. Identifying the mechanisms that guide these patterning events is necessary in order to understand the molecular drivers of development and disease and to build tissues in vitro. In this study, we use an in vitro model of gastrulation to study the role of tight junctions and apical/basolateral polarity in modulating bone morphogenic protein-4 (BMP4) signaling and gastrulation-associated patterning in colonies of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Disrupting tight junctions via knockdown (KD) of the scaffolding tight junction protein-1 (TJP1, also known as ZO1) allows BMP4 to robustly and ubiquitously activate pSMAD1/5 signaling over time, resulting in loss of the patterning phenotype and marked differentiation bias of pluripotent stem cells to primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs). These findings give important insights into how signaling events are regulated and lead to spatial emergence of diverse cell types in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Vasic
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Ashley RG Libby
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Ph.D. Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Annie Maslan
- UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 94720
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 94720
| | - Emily A Bulger
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Ph.D. Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - David Zalazar
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | | | - Aaron Streets
- UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 94720
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 94720
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Kiichiro Tomoda
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto, Japan 606-8397
| | - Shinya Yamanaka
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto, Japan 606-8397
| | - Todd C McDevitt
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Noh JM, Choi SC, Song MH, Kim KS, Jun S, Park JH, Kim JH, Kim K, Ko TH, Choi JI, Gim JA, Kim JH, Jang Y, Park Y, Na JE, Rhyu IJ, Lim DS. The Activation of the LIMK/Cofilin Signaling Pathway via Extracellular Matrix-Integrin Interactions Is Critical for the Generation of Mature and Vascularized Cardiac Organoids. Cells 2023; 12:2029. [PMID: 37626839 PMCID: PMC10453200 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162029] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of mature and vascularized human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac organoids (hPSC-COs) is necessary to ensure the validity of drug screening and disease modeling. This study investigates the effects of cellular aggregate (CA) stemness and self-organization on the generation of mature and vascularized hPSC-COs and elucidates the mechanisms underlying cardiac organoid (CO) maturation and vascularization. COs derived from 2-day-old CAs with high stemness (H-COs) and COs derived from 5-day-old CAs with low stemness (L-COs) were generated in a self-organized microenvironment via Wnt signaling induction. This study finds that H-COs exhibit ventricular, structural, metabolic, and functional cardiomyocyte maturation and vessel networks consisting of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and basement membranes compared to L-COs. Transcriptional profiling shows the upregulation of genes associated with cardiac maturation and vessel formation in H-COs compared with the genes in L-COs. Through experiments with LIMK inhibitors, the activation of ROCK-LIMK-pCofilin via ECM-integrin interactions leads to cardiomyocyte maturation and vessel formation in H-COs. Furthermore, the LIMK/Cofilin signaling pathway induces TGFβ/NODAL and PDGF pathway activation for the maturation and vascularization of H-COs. The study demonstrates for the first time that LIMK/Cofilin axis activation plays an important role in the generation of mature and vascularized COs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Min Noh
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Seung-Cheol Choi
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
- R&D Center for Companion Diagnostic, SOL Bio Corporation, Suite 510, 27, Seongsui-ro7-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04780, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong-Hwa Song
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Kyung Seob Kim
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Seongmin Jun
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Jae Hyoung Park
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Ju Hyeon Kim
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| | - Kyoungmi Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
| | - Tae Hee Ko
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Anam Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (T.H.K.); (J.-I.C.)
| | - Jong-Il Choi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Anam Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (T.H.K.); (J.-I.C.)
| | - Jeong-An Gim
- Medical Science Research Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, 148, Gurodong-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jong-Hoon Kim
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yongjun Jang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (Y.J.); (Y.P.)
| | - Yongdoo Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (Y.J.); (Y.P.)
| | - Ji Eun Na
- Department of Anatomy College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.E.N.); (I.J.R.)
| | - Im Joo Rhyu
- Department of Anatomy College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.E.N.); (I.J.R.)
| | - Do-Sun Lim
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, College of Medicine, Korea University, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.N.); (S.-C.C.); (M.-H.S.); (K.S.K.); (S.J.); (J.H.P.); (J.H.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fu XX, Zhuo DH, Zhang YJ, Li YF, Liu X, Xing YY, Huang Y, Wang YF, Cheng T, Wang D, Chen SH, Chen YJ, Jiang GN, Lu FI, Feng Y, Huang X, Ma J, Liu W, Bai G, Xu PF. A spatiotemporal barrier formed by Follistatin is required for left-right patterning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219649120. [PMID: 37276408 PMCID: PMC10268237 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219649120] [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: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
How left-right (LR) asymmetry emerges in a patterning field along the anterior-posterior axis remains an unresolved problem in developmental biology. Left-biased Nodal emanating from the LR organizer propagates from posterior to anterior (PA) and establishes the LR pattern of the whole embryo. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of the PA spread of Nodal and its asymmetric activation in the forebrain. Here, we identify bilaterally expressed Follistatin (Fst) as a regulator blocking the propagation of the zebrafish Nodal ortholog Southpaw (Spaw) in the right lateral plate mesoderm (LPM), and restricting Spaw transmission in the left LPM to facilitate the establishment of a robust LR asymmetric Nodal patterning. In addition, Fst inhibits the Activin-Nodal signaling pathway in the forebrain thus preventing Nodal activation prior to the arrival, at a later time, of Spaw emanating from the left LPM. This contributes to the orderly propagation of asymmetric Nodal activation along the PA axis. The LR regulation function of Fst is further confirmed in chick and frog embryos. Overall, our results suggest that a robust LR patterning emerges by counteracting a Fst barrier formed along the PA axis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Xin Fu
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Ding-Hao Zhuo
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Ying-Jie Zhang
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yun-Fei Li
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yan-Yi Xing
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic and Developmental Disorders, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yi-Fan Wang
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Precision Medicine Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore117599, Singapore
| | - Tao Cheng
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Si-Han Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Ministry of Education Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou311121, China
| | - Yi-Jian Chen
- Institute of Cell and Developmental Biology, Zhejiang University School of Life Sciences, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Guan-Nan Jiang
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Fu-I Lu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Yu Feng
- Department of Biophysics and Infectious Disease of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Xiao Huang
- Institute of Cell and Developmental Biology, Zhejiang University School of Life Sciences, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu32200, China
| | - Ge Bai
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Ministry of Education Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou311121, China
| | - Peng-Fei Xu
- Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
McNamara HM, Solley SC, Adamson B, Chan MM, Toettcher JE. Recording morphogen signals reveals origins of gastruloid symmetry breaking. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543474. [PMID: 37333235 PMCID: PMC10274695 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
When cultured in three dimensional spheroids, mammalian stem cells can reproducibly self-organize a single anterior-posterior axis and sequentially differentiate into structures resembling the primitive streak and tailbud. Whereas the embryo's body axes are instructed by spatially patterned extra-embryonic cues, it is unknown how these stem cell gastruloids break symmetry to reproducibly define a single anterior-posterior (A-P) axis. Here, we use synthetic gene circuits to trace how early intracellular signals predict cells' future anterior-posterior position in the gastruloid. We show that Wnt signaling evolves from a homogeneous state to a polarized state, and identify a critical 6-hour time period when single-cell Wnt activity predicts future cellular position, prior to the appearance of polarized signaling patterns or morphology. Single-cell RNA sequencing and live-imaging reveal that early Wnt-high and Wnt-low cells contribute to distinct cell types and suggest that axial symmetry breaking is driven by sorting rearrangements involving differential cell adhesion. We further extend our approach to other canonical embryonic signaling pathways, revealing that even earlier heterogeneity in TGFβ signaling predicts A-P position and modulates Wnt signaling during the critical time period. Our study reveals a sequence of dynamic cellular processes that transform a uniform cell aggregate into a polarized structure and demonstrates that a morphological axis can emerge out of signaling heterogeneity and cell movements even in the absence of exogenous patterning cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harold M. McNamara
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Sabrina C. Solley
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Britt Adamson
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Michelle M. Chan
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Jared E. Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541363. [PMID: 37292966 PMCID: PMC10245718 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied in many contexts during vertebrate morphogenesis. A posterior gradient of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) ligands generates a contractile force gradient in the definitive endoderm, driving collective cell movements to form the hindgut. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of FGF coordinately regulate this process. We began by formulating a 2-D reaction-diffusion-advection model that describes the formation of an FGF protein gradient due to posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion, and degradation of FGF protein. This was used together with experimental measurements of FGF activity in the chick endoderm to inform a continuum model of definitive endoderm as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. The model replicated key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, confirms that heterogeneous - but isotropic - contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with outgrowth of the tailbud.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
| | - Nandan L. Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Pogoda HM, Riedl-Quinkertz I, Hammerschmidt M. Direct BMP signaling to chordoblasts is required for the initiation of segmented notochord sheath mineralization in zebrafish vertebral column development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1107339. [PMID: 37223044 PMCID: PMC10200950 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1107339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebral column, with the centra as its iteratively arranged building blocks, represents the anatomical key feature of the vertebrate phylum. In contrast to amniotes, where vertebrae are formed from chondrocytes and osteoblasts deriving from the segmentally organized neural crest or paraxial sclerotome, teleost vertebral column development is initiated by chordoblasts of the primarily unsegmented axial notochord, while sclerotomal cells only contribute to later steps of vertebrae formation. Yet, for both mammalian and teleostean model systems, unrestricted signaling by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) or retinoic acid (RA) has been reported to cause fusions of vertebral elements, while the interplay of the two signaling processes and their exact cellular targets remain largely unknown. Here, we address this interplay in zebrafish, identifying BMPs as potent and indispensable factors that, as formerly shown for RA, directly signal to notochord epithelial cells/chordoblasts to promote entpd5a expression and thereby metameric notochord sheath mineralization. In contrast to RA, however, which promotes sheath mineralization at the expense of further collagen secretion and sheath formation, BMP defines an earlier transitory stage of chordoblasts, characterized by sustained matrix production/col2a1 expression and concomitant matrix mineralization/entpd5a expression. BMP-RA epistasis analyses further indicate that RA can only affect chordoblasts and their further progression to merely mineralizing cells after they have received BMP signals to enter the transitory col2a1/entpd5a double-positive stage. This way, both signals ensure consecutively for proper mineralization of the notochord sheath within segmented sections along its anteroposterior axis. Our work sheds further light onto the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate early steps of vertebral column segmentation in teleosts. Similarities and differences to BMP's working mechanisms during mammalian vertebral column formation and the pathomechanisms underlying human bone diseases such as Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) caused by constitutively active BMP signaling are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Martin Pogoda
- Institute of Zoology – Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Iris Riedl-Quinkertz
- Institute of Zoology – Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Hammerschmidt
- Institute of Zoology – Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence, Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD) Cluster of Excellence, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Čapek D, Safroshkin M, Morales-Navarrete H, Toulany N, Arutyunov G, Kurzbach A, Bihler J, Hagauer J, Kick S, Jones F, Jordan B, Müller P. EmbryoNet: using deep learning to link embryonic phenotypes to signaling pathways. Nat Methods 2023:10.1038/s41592-023-01873-4. [PMID: 37156842 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01873-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways are essential for early embryogenesis, and reducing or abolishing their activity leads to characteristic developmental defects. Classification of phenotypic defects can identify the underlying signaling mechanisms, but this requires expert knowledge and the classification schemes have not been standardized. Here we use a machine learning approach for automated phenotyping to train a deep convolutional neural network, EmbryoNet, to accurately identify zebrafish signaling mutants in an unbiased manner. Combined with a model of time-dependent developmental trajectories, this approach identifies and classifies with high precision phenotypic defects caused by loss of function of the seven major signaling pathways relevant for vertebrate development. Our classification algorithms have wide applications in developmental biology and robustly identify signaling defects in evolutionarily distant species. Furthermore, using automated phenotyping in high-throughput drug screens, we show that EmbryoNet can resolve the mechanism of action of pharmaceutical substances. As part of this work, we freely provide more than 2 million images that were used to train and test EmbryoNet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Čapek
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Hernán Morales-Navarrete
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nikan Toulany
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Anica Kurzbach
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Johanna Bihler
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Hagauer
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kick
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Felicity Jones
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ben Jordan
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Koh I, Hagiwara M. Gradient to sectioning CUBE workflow for the generation and imaging of organoids with localized differentiation. Commun Biol 2023; 6:299. [PMID: 36944757 PMCID: PMC10030548 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04694-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Advancements in organoid culture have led to various in vitro mini-organs that mimic native tissues in many ways. Yet, the bottleneck remains to generate complex organoids with body axis patterning, as well as keeping the orientation of organoids during post-experiment analysis processes. Here, we present a workflow for culturing organoids with morphogen gradient using a CUBE culture device, followed by sectioning samples with the CUBE to retain information on gradient direction. We show that hiPSC spheroids cultured with two separated differentiation media on opposing ends of the CUBE resulted in localized expressions of the respective differentiation markers, in contrast to homogeneous distribution of markers in controls. We also describe the processes for cryo and paraffin sectioning of spheroids in CUBE to retain gradient orientation information. This workflow from gradient culture to sectioning with CUBE can provide researchers with a convenient tool to generate increasingly complex organoids and study their developmental processes in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Koh
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Masaya Hagiwara
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zeevaert K, Goetzke R, Elsafi Mabrouk MH, Schmidt M, Maaßen C, Henneke AC, He C, Gillner A, Zenke M, Wagner W. YAP1 is essential for self-organized differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 146:213308. [PMID: 36774716 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) form aggregates that recapitulate aspects of the self-organization in early embryogenesis. Within few days, cells undergo a transition from epithelial-like structures to organized three-dimensional embryoid bodies (EBs) with upregulation of germ layer-specific genes. However, it is largely unclear, which signaling cascades regulate self-organized differentiation. The Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway and essential mechanotransducer. YAP1 has been suggested to play a crucial role for early embryo development, but the relevance for early germ layer commitment of human iPSCs remains to be elucidated. To gain insights into the function of YAP1 in early cell-fate decisions, we generated YAP1 knockout (YAP-/-) iPSC lines with CRISPR/Cas9 technology and analyzed transcriptomic and epigenetic modifications. YAP-/- iPSCs showed increased expression of several YAP1 targets and of NODAL, an important regulator of cell differentiation. Furthermore, YAP1 deficiency evoked global DNA methylation changes. Directed differentiation of adherent iPSC colonies towards endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm could be induced, albeit endodermal and ectodermal differentiation showed transcriptomic and epigenetic changes in YAP-/- lines. Notably, in undirected self-organized YAP-/- EBs germ layer specification was clearly impaired. This phenotype was rescued via lentiviral overexpression of YAP1 and also by NODAL inhibitors. Our results demonstrate that YAP1 plays an important role during early germ layer specification of iPSCs, particularly for the undirected self-organization of EBs, and this is at least partly attributed to activation of the NODAL signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kira Zeevaert
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Roman Goetzke
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; PL BioScience, Technology Centre Aachen, 52068 Aachen, Germany
| | - Mohamed H Elsafi Mabrouk
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Marco Schmidt
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Catharina Maaßen
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Henneke
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Chao He
- Chair for Laser Technology LLT, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Arnold Gillner
- Chair for Laser Technology LLT, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Martin Zenke
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute for Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Espina JA, Cordeiro MH, Barriga EH. Tissue interplay during morphogenesis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 147:12-23. [PMID: 37002130 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The process by which biological systems such as cells, tissues and organisms acquire shape has been named as morphogenesis and it is central to a plethora of biological contexts including embryo development, wound healing, or even cancer. Morphogenesis relies in both self-organising properties of the system and in environmental inputs (biochemical and biophysical). The classical view of morphogenesis is based on the study of external biochemical molecules, such as morphogens. However, recent studies are establishing that the mechanical environment is also used by cells to communicate within tissues, suggesting that this mechanical crosstalk is essential to synchronise morphogenetic transitions and self-organisation. In this article we discuss how tissue interaction drive robust morphogenesis, starting from a classical biochemical view, to finalise with more recent advances on how the biophysical properties of a tissue feedback with their surroundings to allow form acquisition. We also comment on how in silico models aid to integrate and predict changes in cell and tissue behaviour. Finally, considering recent advances from the developmental biomechanics field showing that mechanical inputs work as cues that promote morphogenesis, we invite to revisit the concept of morphogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Espina
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Marilia H Cordeiro
- 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.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Alvarez-Rodrigo I, Willnow D, Vincent JP. The logistics of Wnt production and delivery. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 153:1-60. [PMID: 36967191 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.01.006] [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] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Wnts are secreted proteins that control stem cell maintenance, cell fate decisions, and growth during development and adult homeostasis. Wnts carry a post-translational modification not seen in any other secreted protein: during biosynthesis, they are appended with a palmitoleoyl moiety that is required for signaling but also impairs solubility and hence diffusion in the extracellular space. In some contexts, Wnts act only in a juxtacrine manner but there are also instances of long range action. Several proteins and processes ensure that active Wnts reach the appropriate target cells. Some, like Porcupine, Wntless, and Notum are dedicated to Wnt function; we describe their activities in molecular detail. We also outline how the cell infrastructure (secretory, endocytic, and retromer pathways) contribute to the progression of Wnts from production to delivery. We then address how Wnts spread in the extracellular space and form a signaling gradient despite carrying a hydrophobic moiety. We highlight particularly the role of lipid-binding Wnt interactors and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Finally, we briefly discuss how evolution might have led to the emergence of this unusual signaling pathway.
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
The Turing model (or reaction-diffusion model), first published in 1952, is a mathematical model that can account for autonomy in the morphogenesis of organisms. Although initially controversial, the model has gradually gained wider acceptance among experimental embryologists due to the accumulation of experimental data to support it. More recently, this model and others based on it have been used not only to explain biological phenomena conceptually but also as working hypotheses for molecular-level experiments and as internal components of more-complex 3D models. In this Spotlight, I will provide a personal perspective from an experimental biologist on some of the recent developments of the Turing model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shigeru Kondo
- Osaka University, Faculty of Frontia Bioscience, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Prochazka L, Michaels YS, Lau C, Jones RD, Siu M, Yin T, Wu D, Jang E, Vázquez‐Cantú M, Gilbert PM, Kaul H, Benenson Y, Zandstra PW. Synthetic gene circuits for cell state detection and protein tuning in human pluripotent stem cells. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e10886. [PMID: 36366891 PMCID: PMC9650275 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, cell state transitions are coordinated through changes in the identity of molecular regulators in a cell type‐ and dose‐specific manner. The ability to rationally engineer such transitions in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) will enable numerous applications in regenerative medicine. Herein, we report the generation of synthetic gene circuits that can detect a desired cell state using AND‐like logic integration of endogenous miRNAs (classifiers) and, upon detection, produce fine‐tuned levels of output proteins using an miRNA‐mediated output fine‐tuning technology (miSFITs). Specifically, we created an “hPSC ON” circuit using a model‐guided miRNA selection and circuit optimization approach. The circuit demonstrates robust PSC‐specific detection and graded output protein production. Next, we used an empirical approach to create an “hPSC‐Off” circuit. This circuit was applied to regulate the secretion of endogenous BMP4 in a state‐specific and fine‐tuned manner to control the composition of differentiating hPSCs. Our work provides a platform for customized cell state‐specific control of desired physiological factors in hPSC, laying the foundation for programming cell compositions in hPSC‐derived tissues and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Prochazka
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Yale S Michaels
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Charles Lau
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Ross D Jones
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Mona Siu
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Ting Yin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Diana Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Esther Jang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Mercedes Vázquez‐Cantú
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D‐BSSE) Basel Switzerland
| | - Penney M Gilbert
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Himanshu Kaul
- School of Engineering University of Leicester Leicester UK
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester UK
| | - Yaakov Benenson
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D‐BSSE) Basel Switzerland
| | - Peter W Zandstra
- Michael Smith Laboratories University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Xing C, Zeng Z, Li Y, Gong B, Shen W, Shah R, Yan L, Du H, Meng A. Regulatory factor identification for nodal genes in zebrafish by causal inference. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1047363. [DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1047363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of nodal genes is critical for mesoderm and endoderm induction. Our previous study reported that zebrafish nodal genes ndr1/squint and ndr2/cyclops are coordinately regulated by maternal Eomesa, Hwa-activated β-catenin (Hwa/β-catenin) signaling, and Nodal autoregulation (Nodal/Smad2) signaling. However, the exact contribution and underlying mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we applied “causal inference” to evaluate the causal between the independent and dependent variables, and we found that Hwa/β-catenin and Smad2 are the cause of ndr1 activation, while Eomesa is the cause of ndr2 activation. Mechanistically, the different cis-regulatory regions of ndr1 and ndr2 bound by Eomesa, β-catenin, and Smad2 were screened out via ChIP-qPCR and verified by the transgene constructs. The marginal GFP expression driven by ndr1 transgenesis could be diminished without both maternal Eomesa and Hwa/β-catenin, while Eomesa, not β-catenin, could bind and activate ndr2 demonstrated by ndr2 transgenesis. Thus, the distinct regulation of ndr1/ndr2 relies on different cis-regulatory regions.
Collapse
|
29
|
Kuhn T, Landge AN, Mörsdorf D, Coßmann J, Gerstenecker J, Čapek D, Müller P, Gebhardt JCM. Single-molecule tracking of Nodal and Lefty in live zebrafish embryos supports hindered diffusion model. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6101. [PMID: 36243734 PMCID: PMC9569377 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33704-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The hindered diffusion model postulates that the movement of a signaling molecule through an embryo is affected by tissue geometry and binding-mediated hindrance, but these effects have not been directly demonstrated in vivo. Here, we visualize extracellular movement and binding of individual molecules of the activator-inhibitor signaling pair Nodal and Lefty in live developing zebrafish embryos using reflected light-sheet microscopy. We observe that diffusion coefficients of molecules are high in extracellular cavities, whereas mobility is reduced and bound fractions are high within cell-cell interfaces. Counterintuitively, molecules nevertheless accumulate in cavities, which we attribute to the geometry of the extracellular space by agent-based simulations. We further find that Nodal has a larger bound fraction than Lefty and shows a binding time of tens of seconds. Together, our measurements and simulations provide direct support for the hindered diffusion model and yield insights into the nanometer-to-micrometer-scale mechanisms that lead to macroscopic signal dispersal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timo Kuhn
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Amit N. Landge
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - David Mörsdorf
- grid.418026.90000 0004 0492 0357Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany ,grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424University of Vienna, Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonas Coßmann
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Johanna Gerstenecker
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Čapek
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany ,grid.418026.90000 0004 0492 0357Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - J. Christof M. Gebhardt
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Ali MA, Volmert B, Evans CM, Braun PV. Static and Dynamic Gradient Based Directional Transportation of Neutral Molecules in Swollen Polymer Films. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202206061. [PMID: 36031709 PMCID: PMC9826203 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202206061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Materials which selectively transport molecules offer powerful opportunities for concentrating and separating chemical agents. Here, utilizing static and dynamic chemical gradients, transport of molecules within swollen crosslinked polymers is demonstrated. Using an ≈200 μm static hydroxyl to hexyl gradient, the neutral ambipolar nerve agent surrogate diethyl (cyanomethyl)phosphonate (DECP) is directionally transported and concentrated 60-fold within 4 hours. To accelerate transport kinetics, a dynamic gradient (a "travelling wave") is utilized. Here, the non-polar dye pyrene was transported. The dynamic gradient is generated by an ion exchange process triggered by the localized introduction of an aqueous NaCl solution, which converts the gel from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. As the hydrophilic region expands, associated water enters the gel, and pyrene is pushed ahead of the expansion front. The dynamic gradient provides about 10-fold faster transport kinetics than the static gradient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad A. Ali
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringDepartment of ChemistryBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Materials Research LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignUrbanaIllinois 61801USA
| | - Brett Volmert
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringDepartment of ChemistryBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Materials Research LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignUrbanaIllinois 61801USA
| | - Christopher M. Evans
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringDepartment of ChemistryBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Materials Research LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignUrbanaIllinois 61801USA
| | - Paul V. Braun
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringDepartment of ChemistryBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Materials Research LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignUrbanaIllinois 61801USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
Metazoan embryos develop from a single cell into three-dimensional structured organisms while groups of genetically identical cells attain specialized identities. Cells of the developing embryo both create and accurately interpret morphogen gradients to determine their positions and make specific decisions in response. Here, we first cover intellectual roots of morphogen and positional information concepts. Focusing on animal embryos, we then provide a review of current understanding on how morphogen gradients are established and how their spans are controlled. Lastly, we cover how gradients evolve in time and space during development, and how they encode information to control patterning. In sum, we provide a list of patterning principles for morphogen gradients and review recent advances in quantitative methodologies elucidating information provided by morphogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Fethullah Simsek
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Stock J, Kazmar T, Schlumm F, Hannezo E, Pauli A. A self-generated Toddler gradient guides mesodermal cell migration. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd2488. [PMID: 36103529 PMCID: PMC9473572 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The sculpting of germ layers during gastrulation relies on the coordinated migration of progenitor cells, yet the cues controlling these long-range directed movements remain largely unknown. While directional migration often relies on a chemokine gradient generated from a localized source, we find that zebrafish ventrolateral mesoderm is guided by a self-generated gradient of the initially uniformly expressed and secreted protein Toddler/ELABELA/Apela. We show that the Apelin receptor, which is specifically expressed in mesodermal cells, has a dual role during gastrulation, acting as a scavenger receptor to generate a Toddler gradient, and as a chemokine receptor to sense this guidance cue. Thus, we uncover a single receptor-based self-generated gradient as the enigmatic guidance cue that can robustly steer the directional migration of mesoderm through the complex and continuously changing environment of the gastrulating embryo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Stock
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tomas Kazmar
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Schlumm
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Edouard Hannezo
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Andrea Pauli
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Hidalgo M, Curantz C, Quenech’Du N, Neguer J, Beck S, Mohammad A, Manceau M. A conserved molecular template underlies color pattern diversity in estrildid finches. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm5800. [PMID: 36044564 PMCID: PMC9432839 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm5800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The color patterns that adorn animals' coats not only exhibit extensive diversity linked to various ecological functions but also display recurrences in geometry, orientation, or body location. How processes of pattern formation shape such phenotypic trends remains a mystery. Here, we surveyed plumage color patterns in passerine finches displaying extreme apparent variation and identified a conserved set of color domains. We linked these domains to putative embryonic skin regions instructed by early developmental tissues and outlined by the combinatory expression of few genetic markers. We found that this embryonic prepattern is largely conserved in birds displaying drastic color differences in the adult, interspecies variation resulting from the masking or display of each domain depending on their coloration. This work showed that a simple molecular landscape serves as common spatial template to extensive color pattern variation in finches, revealing that early conserved landmarks and molecular pathways are a major cause of phenotypic trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Hidalgo
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Camille Curantz
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- Sorbonne University, UPMC Paris VI, Paris, France
| | - Nicole Quenech’Du
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Julia Neguer
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Samantha Beck
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Ammara Mohammad
- Genomic Facility, Institute of Biology of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM Paris, France
| | - Marie Manceau
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ali MA, Volmert B, Evans CM, Braun PV. Static and Dynamic Gradient Based Directional Transportation of Neutral Molecules in Swollen Polymer Films. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202206061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad A Ali
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Materials Research Laboratory UNITED STATES
| | - Brett Volmert
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Christopher M Evans
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Paul V. Braun
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Materials Science and Engineering Materials Science and Engineering 1304 West Green St.Materials Science and Eng. Building 61801 Urbana UNITED STATES
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Dickmann JEM, Rink JC, Jülicher F. Long-range morphogen gradient formation by cell-to-cell signal propagation. Phys Biol 2022; 19. [PMID: 35921820 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac86b4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Morphogen gradients are a central concept in developmental biology. Their formation often involves the secretion of morphogens from a local source, that spread by diffusion in the cell field, where molecules eventually get degraded. This implies limits to both the time and length scales over which morphogen gradients can form which are set by diffusion coefficients and degradation rates. Towards the goal of identifying plausible mechanisms capable of extending the gradient range, we here use theory to explore properties of a cell-to-cell signaling relay. Inspired by the millimeter-scale Wnt-expression and signaling gradients in flatworms, we consider morphogen-mediated morphogen production in the cell field. We show that such a relay can generate stable morphogen and signaling gradients that are oriented by a local, morphogen-independent source of morphogen at a boundary. This gradient formation can be related to an effective diffusion and an effective degradation that result from morphogen production due to signaling relay. If the secretion of morphogen produced in response to the relay is polarized, it further gives rise to an effective drift. We find that signaling relay can generate long-ranged gradients in relevant times without relying on extreme choices of diffusion coefficients or degradation rates, thus exceeding the limits set by physiological diffusion coefficients and degradation rates. A signaling relay is hence an attractive principle to conceptualize long-range gradient formation by slowly diffusing morphogens that are relevant for patterning in adult contexts such as regeneration and tissue turn-over.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna E M Dickmann
- Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, Dresden, Sachsen, 01187, GERMANY
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, Gottingen, Niedersachsen, 37077, GERMANY
| | - Frank Jülicher
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik komplexer Systeme, Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, 01187 Dresden, Dresden, 01187, GERMANY
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Stapornwongkul KS, Briscoe J. In preprints: morphogens in motion. Development 2022; 149:276010. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.201066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina S. Stapornwongkul
- Tissue Biology and Disease Modelling, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona 1 , Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona , Spain
| | - James Briscoe
- Developmental Dynamics, The Francis Crick Institute 2 , 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT , UK
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Morita W, Morimoto N, Otsu K, Miura T. Stripe and spot selection in cusp patterning of mammalian molar formation. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9149. [PMID: 35701484 PMCID: PMC9197828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13539-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Tooth development is governed largely by epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and is mediated by numerous signaling pathways. This type of morphogenetic processes has been explained by reaction-diffusion systems, especially in the framework of a Turing model. Here we focus on morphological and developmental differences between upper and lower molars in mice by modeling 2D pattern formation in a Turing system. Stripe vs. spot patterns are the primary types of variation in a Turing model. We show that the complexity of the cusp cross-sections can distinguish between stripe vs. spot patterns, and mice have stripe-like upper and spot-like lower molar morphologies. Additionally, our computational modeling that incorporates empirical data on tooth germ growth traces the order of cusp formation and relative position of the cusps in upper and lower molars in mice. We further propose a hypothetical framework of developmental mechanism that could help us understand the evolution of the highly variable nature of mammalian molars associated with the acquisition of the hypocone and the increase of lophedness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Morita
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Naoki Morimoto
- Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Keishi Otsu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Takashi Miura
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Xing C, Shen W, Gong B, Li Y, Yan L, Meng A. Maternal Factors and Nodal Autoregulation Orchestrate Nodal Gene Expression for Embryonic Mesendoderm Induction in the Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:887987. [PMID: 35693948 PMCID: PMC9178097 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.887987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nodal proteins provide crucial signals for mesoderm and endoderm induction. In zebrafish embryos, the nodal genes ndr1/squint and ndr2/cyclops are implicated in mesendoderm induction. It remains elusive how ndr1 and ndr2 expression is regulated spatiotemporally. Here we investigated regulation of ndr1 and ndr2 expression using Mhwa mutants that lack the maternal dorsal determinant Hwa with deficiency in β-catenin signaling, Meomesa mutants that lack maternal Eomesodermin A (Eomesa), Meomesa;Mhwa double mutants, and the Nodal signaling inhibitor SB431542. We show that ndr1 and ndr2 expression is completely abolished in Meomesa;Mhwa mutant embryos, indicating an essential role of maternal eomesa and hwa. Hwa-activated β-catenin signaling plays a major role in activation of ndr1 expression in the dorsal blastodermal margin, while eomesa is mostly responsible for ndr1 expression in the lateroventral margin and Nodal signaling contributes to ventral expansion of the ndr1 expression domain. However, ndr2 expression mainly depends on maternal eomesa with minor or negligible contribution of maternal hwa and Nodal autoregulation. These mechanisms may help understand regulation of Nodal expression in other species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cencan Xing
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Daxing Research Institute, University of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Gong
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqi Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Yan
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Anming Meng
- Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Anming Meng,
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
The role of cell geometry and cell-cell communication in gradient sensing. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009552. [PMID: 35286298 PMCID: PMC8963572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells can measure shallow gradients of external signals to initiate and accomplish a migration or a morphogenetic process. Recently, starting from mathematical models like the local-excitation global-inhibition (LEGI) model and with the support of empirical evidence, it has been proposed that cellular communication improves the measurement of an external gradient. However, the mathematical models that have been used have over-simplified geometries (e.g., they are uni-dimensional) or assumptions about cellular communication, which limit the possibility to analyze the gradient sensing ability of more complex cellular systems. Here, we generalize the existing models to study the effects on gradient sensing of cell number, geometry and of long- versus short-range cellular communication in 2D systems representing epithelial tissues. We find that increasing the cell number can be detrimental for gradient sensing when the communication is weak and limited to nearest neighbour cells, while it is beneficial when there is long-range communication. We also find that, with long-range communication, the gradient sensing ability improves for tissues with more disordered geometries; on the other hand, an ordered structure with mostly hexagonal cells is advantageous with nearest neighbour communication. Our results considerably extend the current models of gradient sensing by epithelial tissues, making a step further toward predicting the mechanism of communication and its putative mediator in many biological processes.
Collapse
|
40
|
Vetter R, Iber D. Precision of morphogen gradients in neural tube development. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1145. [PMID: 35241686 PMCID: PMC8894346 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28834-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogen gradients encode positional information during development. How high patterning precision is achieved despite natural variation in both the morphogen gradients and in the readout process, is still largely elusive. Here, we show that the positional error of gradients in the mouse neural tube has previously been overestimated, and that the reported accuracy of the central progenitor domain boundaries in the mouse neural tube can be achieved with a single gradient, rather than requiring the simultaneous readout of opposing gradients. Consistently and independently, numerical simulations based on measured molecular noise levels likewise result in lower gradient variabilities than reported. Finally, we show that the patterning mechanism yields progenitor cell numbers with even greater precision than boundary positions, as gradient amplitude changes do not affect interior progenitor domain sizes. We conclude that single gradients can yield the observed developmental precision, which provides prospects for tissue engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roman Vetter
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Dagmar Iber
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Hill CS. Establishment and interpretation of NODAL and BMP signaling gradients in early vertebrate development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:311-340. [PMID: 35606059 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family ligands play crucial roles in orchestrating early embryonic development. Most significantly, two family members, NODAL and BMP form signaling gradients and indeed in fish, frogs and sea urchins these two opposing gradients are sufficient to organize a complete embryonic axis. This review focuses on how these gradients are established and interpreted during early vertebrate development. The review highlights key principles that are emerging, in particular the importance of signaling duration as well as ligand concentration in both gradient generation and their interpretation. Feedforward and feedback loops involving other signaling pathways are also essential for providing spatial and temporal information downstream of the NODAL and BMP signaling pathways. Finally, new data suggest the existence of buffering mechanisms, whereby early signaling defects can be readily corrected downstream later in development, suggesting that signaling gradients do not have to be as precise as previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
Embryonic development hinges on effective coordination of molecular events across space and time. Waves have recently emerged as constituting an ubiquitous mechanism that ensures rapid spreading of regulatory signals across embryos, as well as reliable control of their patterning, namely, for the emergence of body plan structures. In this article, we review a selection of recent quantitative work on signaling waves and present an overview of the theory of waves. Our aim is to provide a succinct yet comprehensive guiding reference for the theoretical frameworks by which signaling waves can arise in embryos. We start, then, from reaction-diffusion systems, both static and time dependent; move to excitable dynamics; and conclude with systems of coupled oscillators. We link these theoretical models to molecular mechanisms recently elucidated for the control of mitotic waves in early embryos, patterning of the vertebrate body axis, micropattern cultures, and bone regeneration. Our goal is to inspire experimental work that will advance theory in development and connect its predictions to quantitative biological observations. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Massimo Vergassola
- Laboratoire de physique de l'École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; .,Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Liu L, Nemashkalo A, Rezende L, Jung JY, Chhabra S, Guerra MC, Heemskerk I, Warmflash A. Nodal is a short-range morphogen with activity that spreads through a relay mechanism in human gastruloids. Nat Commun 2022; 13:497. [PMID: 35079017 PMCID: PMC8789905 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28149-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogens are signaling molecules that convey positional information and dictate cell fates during development. Although ectopic expression in model organisms suggests that morphogen gradients form through diffusion, little is known about how morphogen gradients are created and interpreted during mammalian embryogenesis due to the combined difficulties of measuring endogenous morphogen levels and observing development in utero. Here we take advantage of a human gastruloid model to visualize endogenous Nodal protein in living cells, during specification of germ layers. We show that Nodal is extremely short range so that Nodal protein is limited to the immediate neighborhood of source cells. Nodal activity spreads through a relay mechanism in which Nodal production induces neighboring cells to transcribe Nodal. We further show that the Nodal inhibitor Lefty, while biochemically capable of long-range diffusion, also acts locally to control the timing of Nodal spread and therefore of mesoderm differentiation during patterning. Our study establishes a paradigm for tissue patterning by an activator-inhibitor pair.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lizhong Liu
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Luisa Rezende
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ji Yoon Jung
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sapna Chhabra
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Developmental Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Idse Heemskerk
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Aryeh Warmflash
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Ceccarelli AS, Borges A, Chara O. Size matters: tissue size as a marker for a transition between reaction-diffusion regimes in spatio-temporal distribution of morphogens. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211112. [PMID: 35116146 PMCID: PMC8790355 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The reaction-diffusion model constitutes one of the most influential mathematical models to study distribution of morphogens in tissues. Despite its widespread use, the effect of finite tissue size on model-predicted spatio-temporal morphogen distributions has not been completely elucidated. In this study, we analytically investigated the spatio-temporal distributions of morphogens predicted by a reaction-diffusion model in a finite one-dimensional domain, as a proxy for a biological tissue, and compared it with the solution of the infinite-domain model. We explored the reduced parameter, the tissue length in units of a characteristic reaction-diffusion length, and identified two reaction-diffusion regimes separated by a crossover tissue size estimated in approximately three characteristic reaction-diffusion lengths. While above this crossover the infinite-domain model constitutes a good approximation, it breaks below this crossover, whereas the finite-domain model faithfully describes the entire parameter space. We evaluated whether the infinite-domain model renders accurate estimations of diffusion coefficients when fitted to finite spatial profiles, a procedure typically followed in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments. We found that the infinite-domain model overestimates diffusion coefficients when the domain is smaller than the crossover tissue size. Thus, the crossover tissue size may be instrumental in selecting the suitable reaction-diffusion model to study tissue morphogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto S. Ceccarelli
- Systems Biology Group (SysBio), Institute of Physics of Liquids and Biological Systems (IFLySIB), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Augusto Borges
- Systems Biology Group (SysBio), Institute of Physics of Liquids and Biological Systems (IFLySIB), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Research Unit of Sensory Biology & Organogenesis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Quantitative Biosciences (QBM), Munich, Germany
| | - Osvaldo Chara
- Systems Biology Group (SysBio), Institute of Physics of Liquids and Biological Systems (IFLySIB), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Instituto de Tecnología, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Jones WD, Mullins MC. Cell signaling pathways controlling an axis organizing center in the zebrafish. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 150:149-209. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
|
46
|
Del Junco C, Estevez-Torres A, Maitra A. Front speed and pattern selection of a propagating chemical front in an active fluid. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:014602. [PMID: 35193207 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.014602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous pattern formation in living systems is driven by reaction-diffusion chemistry and active mechanics. The feedback between chemical and mechanical forces is often essential to robust pattern formation, yet it remains poorly understood in general. In this analytical and numerical paper, we study an experimentally motivated minimal model of coupling between reaction-diffusion and active matter: a propagating front of an autocatalytic and stress-generating species. In the absence of activity, the front is described by the well-studied Kolmogorov, Petrovsky, and Piskunov equation. We find that front propagation is maintained even in active systems, with crucial differences: an extensile stress increases the front speed beyond a critical magnitude of the stress, while a contractile stress has no effect on the front speed but can generate a periodic instability in the high-concentration region behind the front. We expect our results to be useful in interpreting pattern formation in active systems with mechanochemical coupling in vivo and in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Del Junco
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA and Wesleyan University Library, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, USA
| | - André Estevez-Torres
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), F-75005, Paris
| | - Ananyo Maitra
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), F-75005, Paris and Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation, CNRS UMR 8089, CY Cergy Paris Université, F-95302 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Vittadello ST, Leyshon T, Schnoerr D, Stumpf MPH. Turing pattern design principles and their robustness. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200272. [PMID: 34743598 PMCID: PMC8580431 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Turing patterns have morphed from mathematical curiosities into highly desirable targets for synthetic biology. For a long time, their biological significance was sometimes disputed but there is now ample evidence for their involvement in processes ranging from skin pigmentation to digit and limb formation. While their role in developmental biology is now firmly established, their synthetic design has so far proved challenging. Here, we review recent large-scale mathematical analyses that have attempted to narrow down potential design principles. We consider different aspects of robustness of these models and outline why this perspective will be helpful in the search for synthetic Turing-patterning systems. We conclude by considering robustness in the context of developmental modelling more generally. This article is part of the theme issue 'Recent progress and open frontiers in Turing's theory of morphogenesis'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean T. Vittadello
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Thomas Leyshon
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David Schnoerr
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Michael P. H. Stumpf
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Krause AL, Gaffney EA, Maini PK, Klika V. Modern perspectives on near-equilibrium analysis of Turing systems. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200268. [PMID: 34743603 PMCID: PMC8580451 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In the nearly seven decades since the publication of Alan Turing's work on morphogenesis, enormous progress has been made in understanding both the mathematical and biological aspects of his proposed reaction-diffusion theory. Some of these developments were nascent in Turing's paper, and others have been due to new insights from modern mathematical techniques, advances in numerical simulations and extensive biological experiments. Despite such progress, there are still important gaps between theory and experiment, with many examples of biological patterning where the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we review modern developments in the mathematical theory pioneered by Turing, showing how his approach has been generalized to a range of settings beyond the classical two-species reaction-diffusion framework, including evolving and complex manifolds, systems heterogeneous in space and time, and more general reaction-transport equations. While substantial progress has been made in understanding these more complicated models, there are many remaining challenges that we highlight throughout. We focus on the mathematical theory, and in particular linear stability analysis of 'trivial' base states. We emphasize important open questions in developing this theory further, and discuss obstacles in using these techniques to understand biological reality. This article is part of the theme issue 'Recent progress and open frontiers in Turing's theory of morphogenesis'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L. Krause
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, Upper Mountjoy Campus, Stockton Rd, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Eamonn A. Gaffney
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Philip K. Maini
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Václav Klika
- Department of Mathematics, FNSPE, Czech Technical University in Prague, Trojanova, 13, 12000 Praha, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Painter KJ, Ptashnyk M, Headon DJ. Systems for intricate patterning of the vertebrate anatomy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200270. [PMID: 34743605 PMCID: PMC8580425 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Periodic patterns form intricate arrays in the vertebrate anatomy, notably the hair and feather follicles of the skin, but also internally the villi of the gut and the many branches of the lung, kidney, mammary and salivary glands. These tissues are composite structures, being composed of adjoined epithelium and mesenchyme, and the patterns that arise within them require interaction between these two tissue layers. In embryonic development, cells change both their distribution and state in a periodic manner, defining the size and relative positions of these specialized structures. Their placement is determined by simple spacing mechanisms, with substantial evidence pointing to a variety of local enhancement/lateral inhibition systems underlying the breaking of symmetry. The nature of the cellular processes involved, however, has been less clear. While much attention has focused on intercellular soluble signals, such as protein growth factors, experimental evidence has grown for contributions of cell movement or mechanical forces to symmetry breaking. In the mesenchyme, unlike the epithelium, cells may move freely and can self-organize into aggregates by chemotaxis, or through generation and response to mechanical strain on their surrounding matrix. Different modes of self-organization may coexist, either coordinated into a single system or with hierarchical relationships. Consideration of a broad range of distinct biological processes is required to advance understanding of biological pattern formation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Recent progress and open frontiers in Turing's theory of morphogenesis'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Painter
- Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Mariya Ptashnyk
- School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences and Maxwell Institute, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Tikka P, Mercker M, Skovorodkin I, Saarela U, Vainio S, Ronkainen VP, Sluka JP, Glazier JA, Marciniak-Czochra A, Schaefer F. Computational modelling of nephron progenitor cell movement and aggregation during kidney organogenesis. Math Biosci 2021; 344:108759. [PMID: 34883105 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2021.108759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
During early kidney organogenesis, nephron progenitor (NP) cells move from the tip to the corner region of the ureteric bud (UB) branches in order to form the pretubular aggregate, the early structure giving rise to nephron formation. NP cells derive from metanephric mesenchymal cells and physically interact with them during the movement. Chemotaxis and cell-cell adhesion differences are believed to drive the cell patterning during this critical period of organogenesis. However, the effect of these forces to the cell patterns and their respective movements are known in limited details. We applied a Cellular Potts Model to explore how these forces and organizations contribute to directed cell movement and aggregation. Model parameters were estimated based on fitting to experimental data obtained in ex vivo kidney explant and dissociation-reaggregation organoid culture studies. Our simulations indicated that optimal enrichment and aggregation of NP cells in the UB corner niche requires chemoattractant secretion from both the UB epithelial cells and the NP cells themselves, as well as differences in cell-cell adhesion energies. Furthermore, NP cells were observed, both experimentally and by modelling, to move at higher speed in the UB corner as compared to the tip region where they originated. The existence of different cell speed domains along the UB was confirmed using self-organizing map analysis. In summary, we saw faster NP cell movements near aggregation. The applicability of Cellular Potts Model approach to simulate cell movement and patterning was found to be good during for this early nephrogenesis process. Further refinement of the model should allow us to recapitulate the effects of developmental changes of cell phenotypes and molecular crosstalk during further organ development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pauli Tikka
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology. Heidelberg University Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Moritz Mercker
- Institute of Applied Mathematics (IAM) and Interdisciplinary Center of Scientific Computing (IWR), Mathematikon, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Ilya Skovorodkin
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ulla Saarela
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Seppo Vainio
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Veli-Pekka Ronkainen
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - James P Sluka
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering and Biocomplexity Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - James A Glazier
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering and Biocomplexity Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Anna Marciniak-Czochra
- Institute of Applied Mathematics (IAM) and Interdisciplinary Center of Scientific Computing (IWR), Mathematikon, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Franz Schaefer
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology. Heidelberg University Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|