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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
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In Vivo Evaluation of the Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of the Rat Tongue
Published on: July 6, 2017
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Epithelial Viscoelasticity Is Regulated by Mechanosensitive E-cadherin Turnover
K Venkatesan Iyer1, Romina Piscitello-Gómez2, Joris Paijmans3
1Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Strasse 38, Dresden, Germany.
Current Biology : CB
|February 13, 2019
Summary
Epithelial tissues exhibit viscoelastic properties during development, with cell shape changes delayed by mechanical stress. This delay is regulated by E-cadherin turnover, controlled by p120-catenin, impacting tissue viscosity.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Epithelial tissues undergo significant shape changes during morphogenesis.
- Understanding the mechanical properties of epithelia is crucial for explaining tissue development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the viscoelastic properties of the Drosophila wing epithelium during pupal development.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-induced epithelial deformation.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of mechanical stress and cell shape over time in Drosophila wing epithelium.
- Analysis of E-cadherin turnover and p120-catenin localization in response to mechanical stress.
- Comparison of wild-type and p120 mutant wing epithelium dynamics.
Main Results:
- A significant delay (8 hours) was observed between peak tissue stress and maximal cell elongation, indicating viscoelasticity.
- Viscoelastic behavior is linked to the mechanosensitive turnover of E-cadherin, regulated by p120-catenin.
- Loss of p120-catenin function leads to altered cell dynamics and reduced tissue viscosity.
Conclusions:
- p120-catenin-dependent, mechanosensitive E-cadherin turnover is a key regulator of epithelial viscoelasticity.
- This mechanism plays a critical role in controlling tissue shape changes during morphogenesis.
- Findings provide insights into the interplay between mechanical forces and cell adhesion in developing tissues.
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