1
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Schindler-Johnson M, Petridou NI. Collective effects of cell cleavage dynamics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1358971. [PMID: 38559810 PMCID: PMC10978805 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1358971] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
A conserved process of early embryonic development in metazoans is the reductive cell divisions following oocyte fertilization, termed cell cleavages. Cell cleavage cycles usually start synchronously, lengthen differentially between the embryonic cells becoming asynchronous, and cease before major morphogenetic events, such as germ layer formation and gastrulation. Despite exhibiting species-specific characteristics, the regulation of cell cleavage dynamics comes down to common controllers acting mostly at the single cell/nucleus level, such as nucleus-to-cytoplasmic ratio and zygotic genome activation. Remarkably, recent work has linked cell cleavage dynamics to the emergence of collective behavior during embryogenesis, including pattern formation and changes in embryo-scale mechanics, raising the question how single-cell controllers coordinate embryo-scale processes. In this review, we summarize studies across species where an association between cell cleavages and collective behavior was made, discuss the underlying mechanisms, and propose that cell-to-cell variability in cell cleavage dynamics can serve as a mechanism of long-range coordination in developing embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Schindler-Johnson
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicoletta I. Petridou
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Guan G, Luo C, Tang LH, Tang C. Modulating cell proliferation by asymmetric division: A conserved pattern in the early embryogenesis of nematode species. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001006. [PMID: 38505394 PMCID: PMC10949086 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
In the early stage of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis, the zygote divides asymmetrically into a symmetric fast lineage and an asymmetric slow lineage, producing 16 and 8 cells respectively almost at the same time, followed by the onset of gastrulation. It was recently reported that this cell division pattern is optimal for rapid cell proliferation. In this work, we compare the cell lineages of 9 nematode species, revealing that this pattern is conserved for >60 million years. It further suggests that such lineage design has an important functional role and it might speed up embryonic development in the nematode kingdom, not limited to C. elegans , and independent of the maternal-zygotic transition dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoye Guan
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University
- South Bay Interdisciplinary Science Center, Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University
- Current Address: Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School
- Current Address: Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
| | - Ce Luo
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University
| | - Lei-Han Tang
- South Bay Interdisciplinary Science Center, Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University
- Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University
- School of Physics, Peking University
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3
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Mullan TW, Felton T, Tam J, Kasem O, Yeung TJ, Memar N, Schnabel R, Poole RJ. Control of successive unequal cell divisions by neural cell fate regulators determines embryonic neuroblast cell size. Development 2024; 151:dev200981. [PMID: 38205939 PMCID: PMC10911278 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200981] [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: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Asymmetric cell divisions often generate daughter cells of unequal size in addition to different fates. In some contexts, daughter cell size asymmetry is thought to be a key input to specific binary cell fate decisions. An alternative possibility is that unequal division is a mechanism by which a variety of cells of different sizes are generated during embryonic development. We show here that two unequal cell divisions precede neuroblast formation in the C lineage of Caenorhabditis elegans. The equalisation of these divisions in a pig-1/MELK mutant background has little effect on neuroblast specification. Instead, we demonstrate that let-19/MDT13 is a regulator of the proneural basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor hlh-14/ASCL1 and find that both are required to concomitantly regulate the acquisition of neuroblast identity and neuroblast cell size. Thus, embryonic neuroblast cell size in this lineage is progressively regulated in parallel with identity by key neural cell fate regulators. We propose that key cell fate determinants have a previously unappreciated function in regulating unequal cleavage, and therefore cell size, of the progenitor cells whose daughter cell fates they then go on to specify.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Mullan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Terry Felton
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Janis Tam
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Osama Kasem
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Tim J. Yeung
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nadin Memar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institut für Genetik, TU Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ralf Schnabel
- Institut für Genetik, TU Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Richard J. Poole
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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4
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Hatton IA, Galbraith ED, Merleau NSC, Miettinen TP, Smith BM, Shander JA. The human cell count and size distribution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303077120. [PMID: 37722043 PMCID: PMC10523466 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303077120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell size and cell count are adaptively regulated and intimately linked to growth and function. Yet, despite their widespread relevance, the relation between cell size and count has never been formally examined over the whole human body. Here, we compile a comprehensive dataset of cell size and count over all major cell types, with data drawn from >1,500 published sources. We consider the body of a representative male (70 kg), which allows further estimates of a female (60 kg) and 10-y-old child (32 kg). We build a hierarchical interface for the cellular organization of the body, giving easy access to data, methods, and sources (https://humancelltreemap.mis.mpg.de/). In total, we estimate total body counts of ≈36 trillion cells in the male, ≈28 trillion in the female, and ≈17 trillion in the child. These data reveal a surprising inverse relation between cell size and count, implying a trade-off between these variables, such that all cells within a given logarithmic size class contribute an equal fraction to the body's total cellular biomass. We also find that the coefficient of variation is approximately independent of mean cell size, implying the existence of cell-size regulation across cell types. Our data serve to establish a holistic quantitative framework for the cells of the human body, and highlight large-scale patterns in cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A. Hatton
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QuebecH3A 0E8, Canada
| | - Eric D. Galbraith
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QuebecH3A 0E8, Canada
- ICREA, Barcelona08010, Spain
| | - Nono S. C. Merleau
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, University of Leipzig, D-04105Leipzig, Germany
| | - Teemu P. Miettinen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Benjamin McDonald Smith
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal, QuebecH4A 3S5, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
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5
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Koyama H, Okumura H, Ito AM, Nakamura K, Otani T, Kato K, Fujimori T. Effective mechanical potential of cell-cell interaction explains three-dimensional morphologies during early embryogenesis. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011306. [PMID: 37549166 PMCID: PMC10434874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical forces are critical for the emergence of diverse three-dimensional morphologies of multicellular systems. However, it remains unclear what kind of mechanical parameters at cellular level substantially contribute to tissue morphologies. This is largely due to technical limitations of live measurements of cellular forces. Here we developed a framework for inferring and modeling mechanical forces of cell-cell interactions. First, by analogy to coarse-grained models in molecular and colloidal sciences, we approximated cells as particles, where mean forces (i.e. effective forces) of pairwise cell-cell interactions are considered. Then, the forces were statistically inferred by fitting the mathematical model to cell tracking data. This method was validated by using synthetic cell tracking data resembling various in vivo situations. Application of our method to the cells in the early embryos of mice and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans revealed that cell-cell interaction forces can be written as a pairwise potential energy in a manner dependent on cell-cell distances. Importantly, the profiles of the pairwise potentials were quantitatively different among species and embryonic stages, and the quantitative differences correctly described the differences of their morphological features such as spherical vs. distorted cell aggregates, and tightly vs. non-tightly assembled aggregates. We conclude that the effective pairwise potential of cell-cell interactions is a live measurable parameter whose quantitative differences can be a parameter describing three-dimensional tissue morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Koyama
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hisashi Okumura
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Biomolecular Dynamics Simulation Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsushi M. Ito
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- National Institute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki, Gifu, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Nakamura
- School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences, Meiji University, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- JST, PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tetsuhisa Otani
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kagayaki Kato
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Bioimage Informatics Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Laboratory of Biological Diversity, National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Fujimori
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
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6
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Natesan G, Hamilton T, Deeds EJ, Shah PK. Novel metrics reveal new structure and unappreciated heterogeneity in C. elegans development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.12.540617. [PMID: 37292606 PMCID: PMC10245744 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.540617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
High throughput experimental approaches are increasingly allowing for the quantitative description of cellular and organismal phenotypes. Distilling these large volumes of complex data into meaningful measures that can drive biological insight remains a central challenge. In the quantitative study of development, for instance, one can resolve phenotypic measures for single cells onto their lineage history, enabling joint consideration of heritable signals and cell fate decisions. Most attempts to analyze this type of data, however, discard much of the information content contained within lineage trees. In this work we introduce a generalized metric, which we term the branch distance, that allows us to compare any two embryos based on phenotypic measurements in individual cells. This approach aligns those phenotypic measurements to the underlying lineage tree, providing a flexible and intuitive framework for quantitative comparisons between, for instance, Wild-Type (WT) and mutant developmental programs. We apply this novel metric to data on cell-cycle timing from over 1300 WT and RNAi-treated Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Our new metric revealed surprising heterogeneity within this data set, including subtle batch effects in WT embryos and dramatic variability in RNAi-induced developmental phenotypes, all of which had been missed in previous analyses. Further investigation of these results suggests a novel, quantitative link between pathways that govern cell fate decisions and pathways that pattern cell cycle timing in the early embryo. Our work demonstrates that the branch distance we propose, and similar metrics like it, have the potential to revolutionize our quantitative understanding of organismal phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunalan Natesan
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Timothy Hamilton
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Eric J. Deeds
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Pavak K. Shah
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
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7
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Azuma Y, Okada H, Onami S. Systematic analysis of cell morphodynamics in C. elegans early embryogenesis. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 3:1082531. [PMID: 37026092 PMCID: PMC10070942 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2023.1082531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The invariant cell lineage of Caenorhabditis elegans allows unambiguous assignment of the identity for each cell, which offers a unique opportunity to study developmental dynamics such as the timing of cell division, dynamics of gene expression, and cell fate decisions at single-cell resolution. However, little is known about cell morphodynamics, including the extent to which they are variable between individuals, mainly due to the lack of sufficient amount and quality of quantified data. In this study, we systematically quantified the cell morphodynamics in 52 C. elegans embryos from the two-cell stage to mid-gastrulation at the high spatiotemporal resolution, 0.5 μm thickness of optical sections, and 30-second intervals of recordings. Our data allowed systematic analyses of the morphological features. We analyzed sphericity dynamics and found a significant increase at the end of metaphase in every cell, indicating the universality of the mitotic cell rounding. Concomitant with the rounding, the volume also increased in most but not all cells, suggesting less universality of the mitotic swelling. Combining all features showed that cell morphodynamics was unique for each cell type. The cells before the onset of gastrulation could be distinguished from all the other cell types. Quantification of reproducibility in cell-cell contact revealed that variability in division timings and cell arrangements produced variability in contacts between the embryos. However, the area of such contacts occupied less than 5% of the total area, suggesting the high reproducibility of spatial occupancies and adjacency relationships of the cells. By comparing the morphodynamics of identical cells between the embryos, we observed diversity in the variability between cells and found it was determined by multiple factors, including cell lineage, cell generation, and cell-cell contact. We compared the variabilities of cell morphodynamics and cell-cell contacts with those in ascidian Phallusia mammillata embryos. The variabilities were larger in C. elegans, despite smaller differences in embryo size and number of cells at each developmental stage.
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8
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Guan G, Zhao Z, Tang C. Delineating the mechanisms and design principles of Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis using in toto high-resolution imaging data and computational modeling. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:5500-5515. [PMID: 36284714 PMCID: PMC9562942 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.024] [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: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode (roundworm) Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the most popular animal models for the study of developmental biology, as its invariant development and transparent body enable in toto cellular-resolution fluorescence microscopy imaging of developmental processes at 1-min intervals. This has led to the development of various computational tools for the systematic and automated analysis of imaging data to delineate the molecular and cellular processes throughout the embryogenesis of C. elegans, such as those associated with cell lineage, cell migration, cell morphology, and gene activity. In this review, we first introduce C. elegans embryogenesis and the development of techniques for tracking cell lineage and reconstructing cell morphology during this process. We then contrast the developmental modes of C. elegans and the customized technologies used for studying them with the ones of other animal models, highlighting its advantage for studying embryogenesis with exceptional spatial and temporal resolution. This is followed by an examination of the physical models that have been devised-based on accurate determinations of developmental processes afforded by analyses of imaging data-to interpret the early embryonic development of C. elegans from subcellular to intercellular levels of multiple cells, which focus on two key processes: cell polarization and morphogenesis. We subsequently discuss how quantitative data-based theoretical modeling has improved our understanding of the mechanisms of C. elegans embryogenesis. We conclude by summarizing the challenges associated with the acquisition of C. elegans embryogenesis data, the construction of algorithms to analyze them, and the theoretical interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoye Guan
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking–Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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9
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Lacroix B, Dumont J. Spatial and Temporal Scaling of Microtubules and Mitotic Spindles. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020248. [PMID: 35053364 PMCID: PMC8774166 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
During cell division, the mitotic spindle, a macromolecular structure primarily comprised of microtubules, drives chromosome alignment and partitioning between daughter cells. Mitotic spindles can sense cellular dimensions in order to adapt their length and mass to cell size. This scaling capacity is particularly remarkable during early embryo cleavage when cells divide rapidly in the absence of cell growth, thus leading to a reduction of cell volume at each division. Although mitotic spindle size scaling can occur over an order of magnitude in early embryos, in many species the duration of mitosis is relatively short, constant throughout early development and independent of cell size. Therefore, a key challenge for cells during embryo cleavage is not only to assemble a spindle of proper size, but also to do it in an appropriate time window which is compatible with embryo development. How spatial and temporal scaling of the mitotic spindle is achieved and coordinated with the duration of mitosis remains elusive. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms that support mitotic spindle spatial and temporal scaling over a wide range of cell sizes and cellular contexts. We will present current models and propose alternative mechanisms allowing cells to spatially and temporally coordinate microtubule and mitotic spindle assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lacroix
- Centre de Recherche de Biologie Cellulaire de Montpellier (CRBM), CNRS UMR 5237, Université de Montpellier, 1919 Route de Mende, CEDEX 5, 34293 Montpellier, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Julien Dumont
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France;
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10
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Kuang X, Guan G, Wong MK, Chan LY, Zhao Z, Tang C, Zhang L. Computable early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo with a phase field model. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009755. [PMID: 35030161 PMCID: PMC8794267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis is a precise and robust dynamic process during metazoan embryogenesis, consisting of both cell proliferation and cell migration. Despite the fact that much is known about specific regulations at molecular level, how cell proliferation and migration together drive the morphogenesis at cellular and organismic levels is not well understood. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as the model animal, we present a phase field model to compute early embryonic morphogenesis within a confined eggshell. With physical information about cell division obtained from three-dimensional time-lapse cellular imaging experiments, the model can precisely reproduce the early morphogenesis process as seen in vivo, including time evolution of location and morphology of each cell. Furthermore, the model can be used to reveal key cell-cell attractions critical to the development of C. elegans embryo. Our work demonstrates how genetic programming and physical forces collaborate to drive morphogenesis and provides a predictive model to decipher the underlying mechanism. Embryonic development is a precise process involving cell division, cell-cell interaction, and cell migration. During the process, how each cell reaches its supposed location and be in contact with the right neighbors, and what roles genetic factors and physical forces play are important and fascinating questions. Using the worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system, we build a phase field model to simulate early morphogenesis. With a few physical inputs, the model can precisely reproduce the early morphological development of the worm. Such an accurate simulator can not only teach us how physical forces work together with genetic factors to shape up the complex process of development, but also make predictions, such as key cell-cell attractions critical in the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Kuang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Guoye Guan
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ming-Kin Wong
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lu-Yan Chan
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (CT); (LZ)
| | - Lei Zhang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (CT); (LZ)
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11
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Guan G, Wong MK, Zhao Z, Tang LH, Tang C. Volume segregation programming in a nematode's early embryogenesis. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:054409. [PMID: 34942757 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.054409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Nematode species are well-known for their invariant cell lineage pattern during development. Combining knowledge about the fate specification induced by asymmetric division and the anti-correlation between cell cycle length and cell volume in Caenorhabditis elegans, we propose a minimal model to simulate lineage initiation by altering cell volume segregation ratio in each division, and quantify the derived pattern's performance in proliferation speed, fate diversity, and space robustness. The stereotypic pattern in C. elegans embryo is found to be one of the most optimal solutions taking minimum time to achieve the cell number before gastrulation, by programming asymmetric divisions as a strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoye Guan
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ming-Kin Wong
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.,State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei-Han Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Physics and Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.,Complex Systems Division, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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12
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Cantwell H, Dey G. Nuclear size and shape control. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 130:90-97. [PMID: 34776332 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus displays a wide range of sizes and shapes in different species and cell types, yet its size scaling and many of the key structural constituents that determine its shape are highly conserved. In this review, we discuss the cellular properties and processes that contribute to nuclear size and shape control, drawing examples from across eukaryotes and highlighting conserved themes and pathways. We then outline physiological roles that have been uncovered for specific nuclear morphologies and disease pathologies associated with aberrant nuclear morphology. We argue that a comparative approach, assessing and integrating observations from different systems, will be a powerful way to help us address the open questions surrounding functional roles of nuclear size and shape in cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Cantwell
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Gautam Dey
- Cell Biology and Biophysics, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstr.1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Diegmiller R, Doherty CA, Stern T, Imran Alsous J, Shvartsman SY. Size scaling in collective cell growth. Development 2021; 148:271938. [PMID: 34463760 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Size is a fundamental feature of living entities and is intimately tied to their function. Scaling laws, which can be traced to D'Arcy Thompson and Julian Huxley, have emerged as a powerful tool for studying regulation of the growth dynamics of organisms and their constituent parts. Yet, throughout the 20th century, as scaling laws were established for single cells, quantitative studies of the coordinated growth of multicellular structures have lagged, largely owing to technical challenges associated with imaging and image processing. Here, we present a supervised learning approach for quantifying the growth dynamics of germline cysts during oogenesis. Our analysis uncovers growth patterns induced by the groupwise developmental dynamics among connected cells, and differential growth rates of their organelles. We also identify inter-organelle volumetric scaling laws, finding that nurse cell growth is linear over several orders of magnitude. Our approach leverages the ever-increasing quantity and quality of imaging data, and is readily amenable for studies of collective cell growth in other developmental contexts, including early mammalian embryogenesis and germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocky Diegmiller
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Caroline A Doherty
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Tomer Stern
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jasmin Imran Alsous
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA
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14
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Gong Y, Alassimone J, Muroyama A, Amador G, Varnau R, Liu A, Bergmann DC. The Arabidopsis stomatal polarity protein BASL mediates distinct processes before and after cell division to coordinate cell size and fate asymmetries. Development 2021; 148:dev199919. [PMID: 34463761 PMCID: PMC8512303 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In many land plants, asymmetric cell divisions (ACDs) create and pattern differentiated cell types on the leaf surface. In the Arabidopsis stomatal lineage, BREAKING OF ASYMMETRY IN THE STOMATAL LINEAGE (BASL) regulates division plane placement and cell fate enforcement. Polarized subcellular localization of BASL is initiated before ACD and persists for many hours after the division in one of the two daughters. Untangling the respective contributions of polarized BASL before and after division is essential to gain a better understanding of its roles in regulating stomatal lineage ACDs. Here, we combine quantitative imaging and lineage tracking with genetic tools that provide temporally restricted BASL expression. We find that pre-division BASL is required for division orientation, whereas BASL polarity post-division ensures proper cell fate commitment. These genetic manipulations allowed us to uncouple daughter-cell size asymmetry from polarity crescent inheritance, revealing independent effects of these two asymmetries on subsequent cell behavior. Finally, we show that there is coordination between the division frequencies of sister cells produced by ACDs, and this coupling requires BASL as an effector of peptide signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Gong
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Andrew Muroyama
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gabriel Amador
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rachel Varnau
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ao Liu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dominique C. Bergmann
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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15
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Malerba ME, Marshall DJ. Larger cells have relatively smaller nuclei across the Tree of Life. Evol Lett 2021; 5:306-314. [PMID: 34367657 PMCID: PMC8327945 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Larger cells have larger nuclei, but the precise relationship between cell size and nucleus size remains unclear, and the evolutionary forces that shape this relationship are debated. We compiled data for almost 900 species - from yeast to mammals - at three scales of biological organisation: among-species, within-species, and among-lineages of a species that was artificially selected for cell size. At all scales, we showed that the ratio of nucleus size to cell size (the 'N: C' ratio) decreased systematically in larger cells. Size evolution appears more constrained in nuclei than cells: cell size spans across six orders of magnitude, whereas nucleus size varies by only three. The next important challenge is to determine the drivers of this apparently ubiquitous relationship in N:C ratios across such a diverse array of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martino E. Malerba
- Centre of Geometric Biology, School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityVictoriaAustralia
| | - Dustin J. Marshall
- Centre of Geometric Biology, School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
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16
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Establishment of a morphological atlas of the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo using deep-learning-based 4D segmentation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6254. [PMID: 33288755 PMCID: PMC7721714 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19863-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The invariant development and transparent body of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans enables complete delineation of cell lineages throughout development. Despite extensive studies of cell division, cell migration and cell fate differentiation, cell morphology during development has not yet been systematically characterized in any metazoan, including C. elegans. This knowledge gap substantially hampers many studies in both developmental and cell biology. Here we report an automatic pipeline, CShaper, which combines automated segmentation of fluorescently labeled membranes with automated cell lineage tracing. We apply this pipeline to quantify morphological parameters of densely packed cells in 17 developing C. elegans embryos. Consequently, we generate a time-lapse 3D atlas of cell morphology for the C. elegans embryo from the 4- to 350-cell stages, including cell shape, volume, surface area, migration, nucleus position and cell-cell contact with resolved cell identities. We anticipate that CShaper and the morphological atlas will stimulate and enhance further studies in the fields of developmental biology, cell biology and biomechanics. The systematic characterization of C. elegans morphology during development has yet to be performed. Here, the authors produce a 3D atlas of C. elegans morphology from 17 embryos and 54 developmental stages, using an automated pipeline, CShaper (combining segmentation of fluorescently labeled membranes with automated cell lineage tracing).
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17
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Guignard L, Fiúza UM, Leggio B, Laussu J, Faure E, Michelin G, Biasuz K, Hufnagel L, Malandain G, Godin C, Lemaire P. Contact area-dependent cell communication and the morphological invariance of ascidian embryogenesis. Science 2020; 369:369/6500/eaar5663. [PMID: 32646972 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar5663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Marine invertebrate ascidians display embryonic reproducibility: Their early embryonic cell lineages are considered invariant and are conserved between distantly related species, despite rapid genomic divergence. Here, we address the drivers of this reproducibility. We used light-sheet imaging and automated cell segmentation and tracking procedures to systematically quantify the behavior of individual cells every 2 minutes during Phallusia mammillata embryogenesis. Interindividual reproducibility was observed down to the area of individual cell contacts. We found tight links between the reproducibility of embryonic geometries and asymmetric cell divisions, controlled by differential sister cell inductions. We combined modeling and experimental manipulations to show that the area of contact between signaling and responding cells is a key determinant of cell communication. Our work establishes the geometric control of embryonic inductions as an alternative to classical morphogen gradients and suggests that the range of cell signaling sets the scale at which embryonic reproducibility is observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Guignard
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Ulla-Maj Fiúza
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Leggio
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, Inria, 69342 Lyon, France
| | - Julien Laussu
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Faure
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.,Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse (IRIT), Universités Toulouse I et III, CNRS, INPT, ENSEEIHT, 31071 Toulouse, France
| | - Gaël Michelin
- Morpheme, Université Côte d'Azur, Inria, CNRS, I3S, France
| | - Kilian Biasuz
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Lars Hufnagel
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Christophe Godin
- Virtual Plants, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Inria, 34095 Montpellier, France. .,Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, Inria, 69342 Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Lemaire
- CRBM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.
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18
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Abstract
The size of the intracellular structure that encloses genomic DNA - known as the nucleus in eukaryotes and nucleoid in prokaryotes - is believed to scale according to cell size and genomic content inside them across the tree of life. However, an actual scaling relationship remains largely unexplored across eukaryotic species. Here, I collected a large dataset of nuclear and cell volumes in diverse species across different phyla, including some prokaryotes, from the published literature and assessed the scaling relationship. Although entire inter-species data showed that nuclear volume correlates with cell volume, the quantitative scaling property exhibited differences among prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes and multicellular eukaryotes. Additionally, the nuclear volume correlates with genomic content inside the nucleus of multicellular eukaryotes but not of prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes. In this Hypothesis, I, thus, propose that the basic concept of nuclear-size scaling is conserved across eukaryotes; however, structural and mechanical properties of nuclear membranes and chromatin can result in different scaling relationships of nuclear volume to cell volume and genomic content among species. In particular, eukaryote-specific properties of the nuclear membrane may contribute to the extreme flexibility of nuclear size with regard to DNA density inside the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hara
- Evolutionary Cell Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida 1677-1, Yamaguchi city 753-8512, Japan
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19
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Wesley CC, Mishra S, Levy DL. Organelle size scaling over embryonic development. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 9:e376. [PMID: 32003549 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell division without growth results in progressive cell size reductions during early embryonic development. How do the sizes of intracellular structures and organelles scale with cell size and what are the functional implications of such scaling relationships? Model organisms, in particular Caenorhabditis elegans worms, Drosophila melanogaster flies, Xenopus laevis frogs, and Mus musculus mice, have provided insights into developmental size scaling of the nucleus, mitotic spindle, and chromosomes. Nuclear size is regulated by nucleocytoplasmic transport, nuclear envelope proteins, and the cytoskeleton. Regulators of microtubule dynamics and chromatin compaction modulate spindle and mitotic chromosome size scaling, respectively. Developmental scaling relationships for membrane-bound organelles, like the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, mitochondria, and lysosomes, have been less studied, although new imaging approaches promise to rectify this deficiency. While models that invoke limiting components and dynamic regulation of assembly and disassembly can account for some size scaling relationships in early embryos, it will be exciting to investigate the contribution of newer concepts in cell biology such as phase separation and interorganellar contacts. With a growing understanding of the underlying mechanisms of organelle size scaling, future studies promise to uncover the significance of proper scaling for cell function and embryonic development, as well as how aberrant scaling contributes to disease. This article is categorized under: Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Regulation of Size, Proportion, and Timing Early Embryonic Development > Fertilization to Gastrulation Comparative Development and Evolution > Model Systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase C Wesley
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Sampada Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Daniel L Levy
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
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20
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Arata Y, Takagi H. Quantitative Studies for Cell-Division Cycle Control. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1022. [PMID: 31496950 PMCID: PMC6713215 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell-division cycle (CDC) is driven by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Mathematical models based on molecular networks, as revealed by molecular and genetic studies, have reproduced the oscillatory behavior of CDK activity. Thus, one basic system for representing the CDC is a biochemical oscillator (CDK oscillator). However, genetically clonal cells divide with marked variability in their total duration of a single CDC round, exhibiting non-Gaussian statistical distributions. Therefore, the CDK oscillator model does not account for the statistical nature of cell-cycle control. Herein, we review quantitative studies of the statistical properties of the CDC. Over the past 70 years, studies have shown that the CDC is driven by a cluster of molecular oscillators. The CDK oscillator is coupled to transcriptional and mitochondrial metabolic oscillators, which cause deterministic chaotic dynamics for the CDC. Recent studies in animal embryos have raised the possibility that the dynamics of molecular oscillators underlying CDC control are affected by allometric volume scaling among the cellular compartments. Considering these studies, we discuss the idea that a cluster of molecular oscillators embedded in different cellular compartments coordinates cellular physiology and geometry for successful cell divisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hiroaki Takagi
- Department of Physics, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
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21
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Gerhold AR, Poupart V, Labbé JC, Maddox PS. Spindle assembly checkpoint strength is linked to cell fate in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. Mol Biol Cell 2018; 29:1435-1448. [PMID: 29688794 PMCID: PMC6014101 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-04-0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a conserved mitotic regulator that preserves genome stability by monitoring kinetochore-microtubule attachments and blocking anaphase onset until chromosome biorientation is achieved. Despite its central role in maintaining mitotic fidelity, the ability of the SAC to delay mitotic exit in the presence of kinetochore-microtubule attachment defects (SAC "strength") appears to vary widely. How different cellular aspects drive this variation remains largely unknown. Here we show that SAC strength is correlated with cell fate during development of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, with germline-fated cells experiencing longer mitotic delays upon spindle perturbation than somatic cells. These differences are entirely dependent on an intact checkpoint and only partially attributable to differences in cell size. In two-cell embryos, cell size accounts for half of the difference in SAC strength between the larger somatic AB and the smaller germline P1 blastomeres. The remaining difference requires asymmetric cytoplasmic partitioning downstream of PAR polarity proteins, suggesting that checkpoint-regulating factors are distributed asymmetrically during early germ cell divisions. Our results indicate that SAC activity is linked to cell fate and reveal a hitherto unknown interaction between asymmetric cell division and the SAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R Gerhold
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Vincent Poupart
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Labbé
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Paul S Maddox
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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22
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Ogura Y, Sasakura Y. Emerging mechanisms regulating mitotic synchrony during animal embryogenesis. Dev Growth Differ 2017; 59:565-579. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Ogura
- Laboratory for Morphogenetic Signaling; RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology; Kobe Japan
| | - Yasunori Sasakura
- Shimoda Marine Research Center; University of Tsukuba; Shizuoka Japan
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23
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Yang S, Han X, Tohsato Y, Kyoda K, Onami S, Nishikawa I, Chen Y. Phenotype Analysis Method for Identification of Gene Functions Involved in Asymmetric Division of Caenorhabditis elegans. J Comput Biol 2017; 24:436-446. [PMID: 28177654 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2016.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In gene function analysis, it is arduous to identify gene function individually, and the way to screen out all involved genes according to a particular phenotype or disease usually shows us little information for a specific problem. We present a data-driven analysis system based on wild type (WT) embryos to study the concrete function of each gene associated with certain category of abnormal phenotypes. It can be applied to genes with very few RNAi embryos. Instead of presupposing the particular function of a gene, its function is confirmed by the statistical testing of built models. The scheme includes the following five: first, verify the to be detected genes and determine related recognized features according to the given category; second, compute the value of each feature based on WT embryos and merge them by principal component analysis (PCA); third, for each of the selected components of PCA, build a normal distribution and verify its normality; fourth, project the RNAi embryos to each component and probe them; and finally, analyze the more detailed functions of each gene based on the physical or biological meaning of each component. Choosing the first-round asymmetric division process of Caenorhabditis elegans as the phenotype, experimental results show that on the different aspects of the asymmetric division process, par-2, par-3, and let-754 are related to scalar differences; dcn-1 and mcm-5 are associated with the divergences of scalar variation, which may reflect the disaccord in development; and dcn-1, par-2, and par-3 are involved with morphological discrepancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihai Yang
- 1 Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University , Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan .,2 College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaqiao University , Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xianhua Han
- 1 Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University , Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Yukako Tohsato
- 3 Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Koji Kyoda
- 3 Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Onami
- 3 Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Ikuko Nishikawa
- 1 Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University , Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Yenwei Chen
- 1 Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University , Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
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24
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Alicea B, Gordon R. Quantifying Mosaic Development: Towards an Evo-Devo Postmodern Synthesis of the Evolution of Development via Differentiation Trees of Embryos. BIOLOGY 2016; 5:E33. [PMID: 27548240 PMCID: PMC5037352 DOI: 10.3390/biology5030033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2016] [Revised: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic development proceeds through a series of differentiation events. The mosaic version of this process (binary cell divisions) can be analyzed by comparing early development of Ciona intestinalis and Caenorhabditis elegans. To do this, we reorganize lineage trees into differentiation trees using the graph theory ordering of relative cell volume. Lineage and differentiation trees provide us with means to classify each cell using binary codes. Extracting data characterizing lineage tree position, cell volume, and nucleus position for each cell during early embryogenesis, we conduct several statistical analyses, both within and between taxa. We compare both cell volume distributions and cell volume across developmental time within and between single species and assess differences between lineage tree and differentiation tree orderings. This enhances our understanding of the differentiation events in a model of pure mosaic embryogenesis and its relationship to evolutionary conservation. We also contribute several new techniques for assessing both differences between lineage trees and differentiation trees, and differences between differentiation trees of different species. The results suggest that at the level of differentiation trees, there are broad similarities between distantly related mosaic embryos that might be essential to understanding evolutionary change and phylogeny reconstruction. Differentiation trees may therefore provide a basis for an Evo-Devo Postmodern Synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradly Alicea
- Orthogonal Research, 1408 Rosewood Drive, Champaign, IL 61821, USA.
- OpenWorm Foundation, Cyberspace, San Diego, CA 92110, USA.
| | - Richard Gordon
- Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, 222 Clark Drive, Panacea, FL 32346, USA.
- C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth & Development, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University, 275 E. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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25
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Galli M, Morgan DO. Cell Size Determines the Strength of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint during Embryonic Development. Dev Cell 2016; 36:344-52. [PMID: 26859356 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) delays mitotic progression when chromosomes are not properly attached to microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Cells vary widely in the extent to which they delay mitotic progression upon SAC activation. To explore the mechanisms that determine checkpoint strength in different cells, we systematically measured the mitotic delay induced by microtubule disruption at different stages of embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Strikingly, we observed a gradual increase in SAC strength after each round of division. Analysis of mutants that alter cell size or ploidy revealed that SAC strength is determined primarily by cell size and the number of kinetochores. These findings provide clear evidence in vivo that the kinetochore-to-cytoplasm ratio determines the strength of the SAC, providing new insights into why cells exhibit such large variations in their SAC responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Galli
- Department of Physiology and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, 600 16(th) Street, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, 600 16(th) Street, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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26
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Wong MK, Guan D, Ng KHC, Ho VWS, An X, Li R, Ren X, Zhao Z. Timing of Tissue-specific Cell Division Requires a Differential Onset of Zygotic Transcription during Metazoan Embryogenesis. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:12501-12513. [PMID: 27056332 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.705426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Metazoan development demands not only precise cell fate differentiation but also accurate timing of cell division to ensure proper development. How cell divisions are temporally coordinated during development is poorly understood. Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis provides an excellent opportunity to study this coordination due to its invariant development and widespread division asynchronies. One of the most pronounced asynchronies is a significant delay of cell division in two endoderm progenitor cells, Ea and Ep, hereafter referred to as E2, relative to its cousins that mainly develop into mesoderm organs and tissues. To unravel the genetic control over the endoderm-specific E2 division timing, a total of 822 essential and conserved genes were knocked down using RNAi followed by quantification of cell cycle lengths using in toto imaging of C. elegans embryogenesis and automated lineage. Intriguingly, knockdown of numerous genes encoding the components of general transcription pathway or its regulatory factors leads to a significant reduction in the E2 cell cycle length but an increase in cell cycle length of the remaining cells, indicating a differential requirement of transcription for division timing between the two. Analysis of lineage-specific RNA-seq data demonstrates an earlier onset of transcription in endoderm than in other germ layers, the timing of which coincides with the birth of E2, supporting the notion that the endoderm-specific delay in E2 division timing demands robust zygotic transcription. The reduction in E2 cell cycle length is frequently associated with cell migration defect and gastrulation failure. The results suggest that a tissue-specific transcriptional activation is required to coordinate fate differentiation, division timing, and cell migration to ensure proper development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Kin Wong
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Daogang Guan
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kaoru Hon Chun Ng
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vincy Wing Sze Ho
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaomeng An
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Runsheng Li
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoliang Ren
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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27
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Abstract
Size and shape are important aspects of nuclear structure. While normal cells maintain nuclear size within a defined range, altered nuclear size and shape are associated with a variety of diseases. It is unknown if altered nuclear morphology contributes to pathology, and answering this question requires a better understanding of the mechanisms that control nuclear size and shape. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate nuclear morphology, focusing on nucleocytoplasmic transport, nuclear lamins, the endoplasmic reticulum, the cell cycle, and potential links between nuclear size and size regulation of other organelles. We then discuss the functional significance of nuclear morphology in the context of early embryonic development. Looking toward the future, we review new experimental approaches that promise to provide new insights into mechanisms of nuclear size control, in particular microfluidic-based technologies, and discuss how altered nuclear morphology might impact chromatin organization and physiology of diseased cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richik N Mukherjee
- a Department of Molecular Biology , University of Wyoming , Laramie , WY USA
| | - Pan Chen
- a Department of Molecular Biology , University of Wyoming , Laramie , WY USA
| | - Daniel L Levy
- a Department of Molecular Biology , University of Wyoming , Laramie , WY USA
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28
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Gooh K, Ueda M, Aruga K, Park J, Arata H, Higashiyama T, Kurihara D. Live-cell imaging and optical manipulation of Arabidopsis early embryogenesis. Dev Cell 2015; 34:242-51. [PMID: 26166301 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Intercellular communications are essential for cell proliferation and differentiation during plant embryogenesis. However, analysis of intercellular communications in living material in real time is difficult owing to the restricted accessibility of the embryo within the flower. We established a live-embryo imaging system to visualize cell division and cell fate specification in Arabidopsis thaliana from zygote division in real time. We generated a cell-division lineage tree for early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. Lineage analysis showed that both the direction and time course of cell division between sister cells differed along the apical-basal or radial axes. Using the Arabidopsis kpl mutant, in which single-fertilization events are frequent, we showed that endosperm development is not required for pattern formation during early embryogenesis. Optical manipulation demonstrated that damage to the embryo initial cell induces cell fate conversion of the suspensor cell to compensate for the disrupted embryo initial cell even after cell fate is specified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Gooh
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Minako Ueda
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Kana Aruga
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Jongho Park
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, ERATO, JST, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Arata
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, ERATO, JST, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, ERATO, JST, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kurihara
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, ERATO, JST, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
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