The Mechanics of Morphogenesis in Multicellular Embryos

Mittenthal, Jay E.; Jacobson, Antone G.

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-83631-2_10

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 126 publications

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“…These motions are initiated, driven and regulated through a complex interplay of genes, gene products and mechanical forces (Wallingford et al, 2002;Keller, 2004;Ninomiya et al, 2004). During certain morphogenetic movements, including gastrulation and neurulation, sheets of tissue converge in one in-plane direction and extend in the other, a process called convergent extension (CE) (Mittenthal and Jacobson, 1990;Keller et al, 2000). At the onset of CE, cellular protrusions that previously arose with random orientations begin to be polarized in the mediolateral direction (Wallingford et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do lamellipodia have the mechanical capacity to drive convergent extension?

Brodland¹

2006

Int. J. Dev. Biol.

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Convergent extension (CE), a kinematic motif associated with several important morphogenetic movements in embryos, entails narrowing of a tissue in one in-plane direction and elongation in the other. Although the cell elongation and intercalation which accompany this process have been investigated and relevant genes and biochemical pathways have been studied in multiple organisms, a fundamental question that has not yet been answered is "Do the lamellipodia thought to drive these motions actually have the mechanical capacity to do so?" Here, we address this and a number of related issues using a state-of-the-art computational model which can replicate cell motions, changes in cell shape and tissue deformations. The model is based on the cell-level finite element approach of Chen and Brodland, but has additional features which allow it to model lamellipodium formation and contraction. In studying CE, computational models provide an important complement to molecular approaches because they reveal the "mechanical pathways" through which gene products must ultimately act in order to produce physical movements. The model shows that lamellipodia can drive CE, that they do so through cell intercalations and that the elongated cells characteristic of CE arise only when adjacent tissues resist convergence, a result which we confirm experimentally.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do lamellipodia have the mechanical capacity to drive convergent extension?

Brodland¹

2006

Int. J. Dev. Biol.

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“…T he morphology of the animal body and its tissues arise as embryonic cells change their shapes and/or positions (Mittenthal and Jacobson, 1990). Many of these changes are mediated by dynamic rearrangements of cytoskeletal components (Wessells et al, 1971).…”

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confidence: 99%

A Putative Catenin–Cadherin System Mediates Morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Embryo

Costa

Raich

Agbunag

et al. 1998

The Journal of Cell Biology

374

459

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During morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, hypodermal (or epidermal) cells migrate to enclose the embryo in an epithelium and, subsequently, change shape coordinately to elongate the body (Priess, J.R., and D.I. Hirsh. 1986. Dev. Biol. 117:156– 173; Williams-Masson, E.M., A.N. Malik, and J. Hardin. 1997. Development [Camb.]. 124:2889–2901). We have isolated mutants defective in morphogenesis that identify three genes required for both cell migration during body enclosure and cell shape change during body elongation. Analyses of hmp-1, hmp-2, and hmr-1 mutants suggest that products of these genes anchor contractile actin filament bundles at the adherens junctions between hypodermal cells and, thereby, transmit the force of bundle contraction into cell shape change. The protein products of all three genes localize to hypodermal adherens junctions in embryos. The sequences of the predicted HMP-1, HMP-2, and HMR-1 proteins are related to the cell adhesion proteins α-catenin, β-catenin/Armadillo, and classical cadherin, respectively. This putative catenin–cadherin system is not essential for general cell adhesion in the C. elegans embryo, but rather mediates specific aspects of morphogenetic cell shape change and cytoskeletal organization.

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Cellular Biomechanics

Skalak¹

2003

Digital Encyclopedia of Applied Physics

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The Mechanics of Morphogenesis in Multicellular Embryos

Cited by 7 publications

References 126 publications

Do lamellipodia have the mechanical capacity to drive convergent extension?

Do lamellipodia have the mechanical capacity to drive convergent extension?

A Putative Catenin–Cadherin System Mediates Morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Embryo

Cellular Biomechanics

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