Embryo as an active granular fluid: stress-coordinated cellular constriction chains

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Biophysics
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Mechanical stress is crucial for gene expression and tissue development.
• Systematic methods to study mechanical stress feedback in cellular coordination are lacking.
• Cellular constriction chains (CCCs) are observed during Drosophila melanogaster embryo ventral furrow formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a model for studying mechanical stress and feedback in harmonizing cellular activities.
• To investigate cellular coordination during apical constriction using a novel modeling approach.
• To understand the role of stress feedback in the formation of cellular constriction chains.

Main Methods:

• Proposed an active granular fluid (AGF) model where cells are circular particles in a force network.
• Modeled cell constriction probability as a function of neighbor-exerted stress.
• Simulated constriction under different stress conditions (tensile vs. compression).

Main Results:

• When constriction probability favors tensile stress, particles form chain-like structures.
• When constriction probability favors compression, particles form compact clusters.
• Simulated chains closely resemble in vivo CCCs observed during Drosophila embryogenesis.

Conclusions:

• Tensile-stress feedback likely coordinates apical constriction activity.
• The AGF model provides insights into cellular coordination during morphogenesis.
• This particle-based model can analyze mechanical feedback in various developmental processes.