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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Video Bioinformatics Analysis of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colony Growth
Published on: May 20, 2010
Compression Generated by a 3D Supracellular Actomyosin Cortex Promotes Embryonic Stem Cell Colony Growth and
Jing Du1, Yanlei Fan2, Zheng Guo3
1Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Aerospace, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Chinese Education Ministry, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 102402, China.
Abstract:
Mechanical factors play critical roles in mammalian development. Here, we report that colony-growing mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) generate significant tension on the colony surface through the contraction of a three-dimensional supracellular actomyosin cortex (3D-SAC). Disruption of the 3D-SAC, whose organization is dependent on the Rho/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signals and E-cadherin, results in mESC colony destruction. Reciprocally, compression force, which is generated by the 3D-SAC, promotes colony growth and expression of Nanog and Oct4 in mESCs and blastocyst development of mouse embryos. These findings suggest that autonomous cell forces regulate embryonic stem cells fate determination and provide insight regarding the biomechanical regulation of embryonic development.
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