PUBLICATION

Organization of Embryonic Morphogenesis via Mechanical Information

Authors
Das, D., Jülich, D., Schwendinger-Schreck, J., Guillon, E., Lawton, A.K., Dray, N., Emonet, T., O'Hern, C.S., Shattuck, M.D., Holley, S.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-190611-4
Date
2019
Source
Developmental Cell   49(6): 829-839.e5 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Dray, Nicolas, Holley, Scott, Jülich, Dörthe
Keywords
BMP, biomechanics, cell migration, computational modeling, embryonic organizer, eve1, morphogen, morphogenesis, systems biology, tail organizer
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Body Patterning
  • Cell Movement*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology*
  • Embryonic Development*
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Organizers, Embryonic/growth & development*
  • Organizers, Embryonic/metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
31178400 Full text @ Dev. Cell
Abstract
Embryonic organizers establish gradients of diffusible signaling molecules to pattern the surrounding cells. Here, we elucidate an additional mechanism of embryonic organizers that is a secondary consequence of morphogen signaling. Using pharmacological and localized transgenic perturbations, 4D imaging of the zebrafish embryo, systematic analysis of cell motion, and computational modeling, we find that the vertebrate tail organizer orchestrates morphogenesis over distances beyond the range of morphogen signaling. The organizer regulates the rate and coherence of cell motion in the elongating embryo using mechanical information that is transmitted via relay between neighboring cells. This mechanism is similar to a pressure front in granular media and other jammed systems, but in the embryo the mechanical information emerges from self-propelled cell movement and not force transfer between cells. The propagation likely relies upon local biochemical signaling that affects cell contractility, cell adhesion, and/or cell polarity but is independent of transcription and translation.
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