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Formation control between leader and migratory follower tissues allows coordinated growth
Toru Kawanishi1,2,3, Takamichi Sushida4, Tony Y-C Tsai1,5
1Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Science Advances
|July 30, 2025
Summary
Zebrafish midline tissues coordinate growth through cell migration and Yap-dependent proliferation, guided by the notochord. This process ensures aligned elongation of the notochord, floorplate, and hypochord.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Tissue morphogenesis
- Embryogenesis
Background:
- Coordinated tissue growth is crucial for body formation but poorly understood.
- Midline tissues in zebrafish embryos, including the notochord, floorplate, and hypochord, elongate synchronously.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms governing the coordinated growth and alignment of zebrafish midline tissues.
- To investigate the roles of cell migration, proliferation, and mechanical interactions in tissue elongation.
Main Methods:
- Live imaging of zebrafish embryos.
- Analysis of cell migration and proliferation dynamics.
- Fibroblast growth factor signaling pathway investigation.
- Yap signaling pathway analysis.
- Mathematical modeling of tissue mechanics.
- Cadherin 2 functional studies.
Main Results:
- Floorplate and hypochord cells migrate posteriorly along the extending notochord.
- Fibroblast growth factor gradients drive spatially regulated cell migration and stretching.
- Yap-dependent proliferation controls floorplate and hypochord growth.
- Mechanical tethering via cadherin 2 fine-tunes growth.
- The notochord acts as a leader, guiding tripartite tissue formation.
Conclusions:
- The notochord orchestrates midline tissue growth through a leader-follower mechanism.
- A combination of cell migration, proliferation, and mechanical forces ensures coordinated tissue elongation.
- This study provides insights into fundamental principles of developmental patterning and tissue engineering.
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