Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
Reconstituting Cytoarchitecture and Function of Human Epithelial Tissues on an Open-Top Organ-Chip
Published on: February 17, 2023
Sculpting organs: mechanical regulation of tissue development
Celeste M Nelson1, Jason P Gleghorn
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA. celesten@princeton.edu
Abstract:
The ramified architectures of organs such as the mammary gland and lung are generated via branching morphogenesis, a developmental process through which individual cells bud and pinch off of pre-existing epithelial sheets. Although specified by signaling programs, organ development requires integration of all aspects of the microenvironment. We describe the essential role of endogenous cellular contractility in the formation of branching tubes. We also highlight the role of exogenous forces in normal and aberrant branching.
