Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo
Abstract The unequal segregation of organelles has been proposed to be an intrinsic mechanism that contributes to cell fate divergence during asymmetric cell division; however, in vivo evidence is sparse. Using super-resolution microscopy, we analysed the segregation of organelles during the divisio...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62484-5 |
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| author | Ioannis Segos Jens Van Eeckhoven Simon Berger Nikhil Mishra Eric J. Lambie Barbara Conradt |
| author_facet | Ioannis Segos Jens Van Eeckhoven Simon Berger Nikhil Mishra Eric J. Lambie Barbara Conradt |
| author_sort | Ioannis Segos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The unequal segregation of organelles has been proposed to be an intrinsic mechanism that contributes to cell fate divergence during asymmetric cell division; however, in vivo evidence is sparse. Using super-resolution microscopy, we analysed the segregation of organelles during the division of the neuroblast QL.p in C. elegans larvae. QL.p divides to generate a daughter that survives, QL.pa, and a daughter that dies, QL.pp. We found that mitochondria segregate unequally by density and morphology and that this is dependent on mitochondrial dynamics. Furthermore, we found that mitochondrial density in QL.pp correlates with the time it takes QL.pp to die. We propose that low mitochondrial density in QL.pp promotes the cell death fate and ensures that QL.pp dies in a highly reproducible and timely manner. Our results provide in vivo evidence that the unequal segregation of mitochondria can contribute to cell fate divergence during asymmetric cell division in a developing animal. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c966ab09b5114be8b57f0b2016a2579a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-c966ab09b5114be8b57f0b2016a2579a2025-08-20T03:05:06ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111810.1038/s41467-025-62484-5Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivoIoannis Segos0Jens Van Eeckhoven1Simon Berger2Nikhil Mishra3Eric J. Lambie4Barbara Conradt5Research Department Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College LondonResearch Department Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College LondonDepartment of Molecular Life Sciences, University of ZurichFaculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichResearch Department Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College LondonResearch Department Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College LondonAbstract The unequal segregation of organelles has been proposed to be an intrinsic mechanism that contributes to cell fate divergence during asymmetric cell division; however, in vivo evidence is sparse. Using super-resolution microscopy, we analysed the segregation of organelles during the division of the neuroblast QL.p in C. elegans larvae. QL.p divides to generate a daughter that survives, QL.pa, and a daughter that dies, QL.pp. We found that mitochondria segregate unequally by density and morphology and that this is dependent on mitochondrial dynamics. Furthermore, we found that mitochondrial density in QL.pp correlates with the time it takes QL.pp to die. We propose that low mitochondrial density in QL.pp promotes the cell death fate and ensures that QL.pp dies in a highly reproducible and timely manner. Our results provide in vivo evidence that the unequal segregation of mitochondria can contribute to cell fate divergence during asymmetric cell division in a developing animal.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62484-5 |
| spellingShingle | Ioannis Segos Jens Van Eeckhoven Simon Berger Nikhil Mishra Eric J. Lambie Barbara Conradt Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo Nature Communications |
| title | Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| title_full | Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| title_fullStr | Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| title_short | Unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| title_sort | unequal segregation of mitochondria during asymmetric cell division contributes to cell fate divergence in sister cells in vivo |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62484-5 |
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