Cell-type specification at criticality underlies rhizoid patterning in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha

Rhizoid specification in Marchantia polymorpha gemmae involves lateral inhibition mediated by the microRNA FRH1, which represses the rhizoid-specific transcription factor RSL1. Accordingly, rhizoid precursor cells appear isolated or spatially organized into small linear clusters. Yet, the molecular mechanisms driving this patterning remain unclear. Using mathematical modeling, we show that rhizoid patterning is consistent with local activation of RSL1, modulated by lateral inhibition through FRH1 diffusion. Our results suggest that rhizoid precursor cells are initiated stochastically and refined by lateral inhibition via a diffusion-driven switch, in which FRH1 mobility generates a sharp transition between spatially uniform and patterned states. These patterns are associated with a subcritical Turing bifurcation and naturally occur at criticality. Combining published and original data, we show that our model can reproduce the spatial statistics of wild-type and mutant phenotypes. Our work highlights a patterning mechanism underlying cellular differentiation and tissue morphogenesis.