Tissue-Scale Mechanical Coupling Reduces Morphogenetic Noise to Ensure Precision during Epithelial Folding

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Cellular mechanics
• Morphogenesis

Background:

• Morphological constancy is a key feature of developing systems.
• The precise mechanisms by which gene expression patterns translate into accurate morphogenesis are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of mechanical interpretation of gene expression in precise cephalic furrow formation.
• To determine how tissue-scale mechanical coupling ensures morphogenetic robustness.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of cephalic furrow formation in developing systems.
• Optogenetic manipulation of myosin contractility.
• 3D vertex modeling of tissue mechanics.

Main Results:

• Cephalic furrow initiation involves a genetic code activating spatially confined lateral myosin contractility.
• Despite cellular-level noise in myosin intensity, furrow linearity is maintained.
• Planar polarized lateral myosin forms supracellular ribbons, integrating contractility.
• Reduced mechanical coupling at these ribbons decreases furrow linearity.
• 3D vertex modeling supports that polarized, interconnected contractility confers robustness against noise.

Conclusions:

• Tissue-scale mechanical coupling acts as a denoising mechanism for morphogenetic precision.
• Robust morphogenesis is achieved through the integration of noisy cellular signals via mechanical coupling.