Image-based force inference by biomechanical simulation

Area of Science:

• Cellular and developmental biology
• Biophysics
• Quantitative imaging

Background:

• Cellular forces generated by actomyosin contractility drive morphogenesis.
• Existing image-based force inference methods have limitations, not accounting for confinement or local force generation.
• Accurate force measurement is crucial for understanding cell shape changes, motion, and division.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel, non-invasive image-based method for inferring cellular forces during morphogenesis.
• To assess relative cellular surface tension, cell-cell adhesion, and forces involved in cytokinesis and protrusion formation.
• To provide a tool for accurate tracking of force generation in biological systems.

Main Methods:

• A biophysical model of cell shape was developed for force inference.
• The method was applied to fluorescent microscopy images of early C. elegans embryos.
• Predictions of cell surface tension were validated using cortical laser ablation.

Main Results:

• The proposed method successfully inferred cellular forces from microscopy images.
• Relative cellular surface tension, adhesive tension, and forces related to cytokinesis and protrusion were assessed.
• Quantitative force measurements in early C. elegans embryos were validated experimentally.

Conclusions:

• The developed non-invasive method accurately tracks force generation during morphogenesis.
• This approach overcomes limitations of previous methods by considering physical confinement and local force generation.
• The tool offers new perspectives for studying cellular dynamics and developmental processes.