Mechanical interactions dynamically influence rosette morphogenesis in the migrating zebrafish posterior lateral line...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Cell Mechanics
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Epithelial rosettes form periodically in the migrating Posterior Lateral Line (PLL) primordium, guided by Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) signaling.
• The number and size of these rosettes are modulated by mechanical forces acting on the migrating primordium.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how mechanical interactions influence the formation and patterning of epithelial rosettes during PLL development.
• To model the interplay between cell migration dynamics, cell adhesion, and mechanical tension in shaping protoneuromast deposition.

Main Methods:

• Development of mechanics-based computational models.
• Simulation of cell adhesion, apical constriction, and differential cell migration speeds (leading vs. trailing cells).
• Analysis of how these factors influence rosette fusion and splitting.

Main Results:

• Slowing of leading cells promotes rosette fusion, increasing rosette size.
• Slowing of trailing cells leads to rosette splitting, decreasing rosette size.
• Computational models successfully replicate observed rosette patterns based on mechanical parameters.

Conclusions:

• Both Fgf signaling and mechanical forces are crucial for morphogenesis of the migrating PLL primordium.
• Differential cell migration speeds and mechanical coupling significantly impact protoneuromast patterning.
• This study highlights the integrated role of signaling and mechanics in developmental processes.