Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation
Abstract Embryonic tissues undergo coordinated flows during avian gastrulation to establish the body plan. Here, we elucidate how the interplay between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues affects the chick embryo’s size and shape. These two distinct geometric changes are each associated with dynami...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60249-8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849725056932904960 |
|---|---|
| author | Guillermo Serrano Nájera Alex M. Plum Ben Steventon Cornelis J. Weijer Mattia Serra |
| author_facet | Guillermo Serrano Nájera Alex M. Plum Ben Steventon Cornelis J. Weijer Mattia Serra |
| author_sort | Guillermo Serrano Nájera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Embryonic tissues undergo coordinated flows during avian gastrulation to establish the body plan. Here, we elucidate how the interplay between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues affects the chick embryo’s size and shape. These two distinct geometric changes are each associated with dynamic curves across which trajectories separate (kinematic repellers). Through physical modeling and experimental manipulations of both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, we selectively eliminate either or both repellers in model and experiments, revealing their mechanistic origins. We find that embryo size is affected by the competition between extraembryonic epiboly and embryonic myosin-driven contraction—which persists when mesoderm induction is blocked. Instead, the characteristic shape change from circular to pear-shaped arises from myosin-driven cell intercalations in the mesendoderm, irrespective of epiboly. These findings elucidate modular mechanisms controlling avian gastrulation flows and provide a mechanistic basis for the independent control of embryo size and shape during development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5daa8b9f64764e8f9dc72cffab3a1f63 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-5daa8b9f64764e8f9dc72cffab3a1f632025-08-20T03:10:34ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-06-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-60249-8Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulationGuillermo Serrano Nájera0Alex M. Plum1Ben Steventon2Cornelis J. Weijer3Mattia Serra4Department of Genetics, University of CambridgeDepartment of Physics, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Genetics, University of CambridgeDivision of Molec. Cell and Dev. Biology, School of Life Sciences, Univ. of DundeeDepartment of Physics, University of CaliforniaAbstract Embryonic tissues undergo coordinated flows during avian gastrulation to establish the body plan. Here, we elucidate how the interplay between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues affects the chick embryo’s size and shape. These two distinct geometric changes are each associated with dynamic curves across which trajectories separate (kinematic repellers). Through physical modeling and experimental manipulations of both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, we selectively eliminate either or both repellers in model and experiments, revealing their mechanistic origins. We find that embryo size is affected by the competition between extraembryonic epiboly and embryonic myosin-driven contraction—which persists when mesoderm induction is blocked. Instead, the characteristic shape change from circular to pear-shaped arises from myosin-driven cell intercalations in the mesendoderm, irrespective of epiboly. These findings elucidate modular mechanisms controlling avian gastrulation flows and provide a mechanistic basis for the independent control of embryo size and shape during development.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60249-8 |
| spellingShingle | Guillermo Serrano Nájera Alex M. Plum Ben Steventon Cornelis J. Weijer Mattia Serra Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation Nature Communications |
| title | Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| title_full | Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| title_fullStr | Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| title_short | Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| title_sort | control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60249-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guillermoserranonajera controloftissueflowsandembryogeometryinaviangastrulation AT alexmplum controloftissueflowsandembryogeometryinaviangastrulation AT bensteventon controloftissueflowsandembryogeometryinaviangastrulation AT cornelisjweijer controloftissueflowsandembryogeometryinaviangastrulation AT mattiaserra controloftissueflowsandembryogeometryinaviangastrulation |