Learning a conserved mechanism for early neuroectoderm morphogenesis.

Morphogenesis is the process whereby the body of an organism develops its target shape. The morphogen BMP is known to play a conserved role across bilaterian organisms in determining the dorsoventral (DV) axis. Yet, how BMP governs the spatio-temporal dynamics of cytoskeletal proteins driving morphogenetic flow remains an open question.

Learning a conserved mechanism for early neuroectoderm morphogenesis.

Morphogenesis is the process whereby the body of an organism develops its target shape. The morphogen BMP is known to play a conserved role across bilaterian organisms in determining the dorsoventral (DV) axis. Yet, how BMP governs the spatio-temporal dynamics of cytoskeletal proteins driving morphogenetic flow remains an open question.

Surface-tension-induced budding drives alveologenesis in human mammary gland organoids.

Organ development involves complex shape transformations driven by active mechanical stresses that sculpt the growing tissue . Epithelial gland morphogenesis is a prominent example where cylindrical branches transform into spherical alveoli during growth. Here we show that this shape transformation is induced by a local change from anisotropic to isotropic tension within the epithelial cell layer of developing human mammary gland organoids.

Mechanical plasticity of collagen directs branch elongation in human mammary gland organoids.

Epithelial branch elongation is a central developmental process during branching morphogenesis in diverse organs. This fundamental growth process into large arborized epithelial networks is accompanied by structural reorganization of the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM), well beyond its mechanical linear response regime. Here, we report that epithelial ductal elongation within human mammary organoid branches relies on the non-linear and plastic mechanical response of the surrounding collagen.