YAP is essential for 3D organogenesis withstanding gravity.

Area of Science:

• Cell biology
• Biophysics
• Developmental biology

Background:

• Cells experience physical forces, such as tissue tension, influencing proliferation, differentiation, and migration.
• Cells actively remodel their extracellular environment to maintain tissue mechanical properties.
• The molecular mechanisms integrating mechanical cues with cellular processes for tissue homeostasis are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the molecular basis of mechanotransduction and techniques for measuring cellular tension.
• To present findings on the role of the transcriptional cofactor YAP in organ formation and maintenance.
• To elucidate YAP's function in governing tissue tension and mechano-homeostasis.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on mechanotransduction.
• Overview of techniques for measuring cellular mechanical tension.
• Presentation of experimental findings on YAP's role in organ development.

Main Results:

• The transcriptional cofactor YAP is crucial for three-dimensional organ formation and maintenance.
• YAP controls tissue tension, acting as a key regulator of mechano-homeostasis.
• Mechanotransduction integrates extracellular mechanical cues with cell proliferation and differentiation.

Conclusions:

• YAP is a central molecule linking mechanical signals to organ development and tissue homeostasis.
• Understanding mechano-homeostasis is essential for comprehending tissue, organ, and body form.
• Further research into YAP and mechanotransduction can reveal insights into developmental biology and disease.