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International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2023The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is built up during embryogenesis by neural stem cells located in the periventricular germinal layers which undergo multiple...
The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is built up during embryogenesis by neural stem cells located in the periventricular germinal layers which undergo multiple division cycles [...].
Topics: Animals; Neurons; Neural Stem Cells; Central Nervous System; Embryonic Development; Mammals; Brain
PubMed: 38069434
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317113 -
ELife Aug 2023The release of the neurotransmitter glutamate by the parasitic tapeworm appears to be implicated in the pathophysiology of a widespread, but neglected, form of...
The release of the neurotransmitter glutamate by the parasitic tapeworm appears to be implicated in the pathophysiology of a widespread, but neglected, form of adult-onset epilepsy.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Glutamic Acid; Larva
PubMed: 37610313
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.91149 -
ELife Dec 2023Experiments exploring the role of juvenile hormone during the life cycle of firebrat insects provide clues about the evolution of metamorphosis.
Experiments exploring the role of juvenile hormone during the life cycle of firebrat insects provide clues about the evolution of metamorphosis.
Topics: Animals; Metamorphosis, Biological; Insecta; Life Cycle Stages; Juvenile Hormones
PubMed: 38126357
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.94410 -
STAR Protocols Sep 2023Bile ducts are essential for bile transport and consist of complex branching tubular networks. Human patient-derived cholangiocyte develops a cystic rather than...
Bile ducts are essential for bile transport and consist of complex branching tubular networks. Human patient-derived cholangiocyte develops a cystic rather than branching duct morphology. Here, we present a protocol to establish branching morphogenesis in cholangiocyte and cholangiocarcinoma organoids. We describe steps for the initiation, maintenance, and expansion of intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids branching morphology. This protocol enables the study of organ-specific and mesenchymal-independent branching morphogenesis and provides an improved model to study biliary function and diseases. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Roos et al. (2022)..
Topics: Humans; Cholangiocarcinoma; Organoids; Morphogenesis; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Bile Duct Neoplasms
PubMed: 37432852
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102431 -
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology Sep 2023Understanding the mechanism by which cells coordinate their differentiation and migration is critical to our understanding of many fundamental processes such as wound... (Review)
Review
Understanding the mechanism by which cells coordinate their differentiation and migration is critical to our understanding of many fundamental processes such as wound healing, disease progression, and developmental biology. Mathematical models have been an essential tool for testing and developing our understanding, such as models of cells as soft spherical particles, reaction-diffusion systems that couple cell movement to environmental factors, and multi-scale multi-physics simulations that combine bottom-up rule-based models with continuum laws. However, mathematical models can often be loosely related to data or have so many parameters that model behaviour is weakly constrained. Recent methods in machine learning introduce new means by which models can be derived and deployed. In this review, we discuss examples of mathematical models of aspects of developmental biology, such as cell migration, and how these models can be combined with these recent machine learning methods.
Topics: Models, Biological; Morphogenesis; Developmental Biology; Cell Movement; Computer Simulation; Machine Learning; Humans; Animals
PubMed: 36754751
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.02.001 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Dec 2023The uterus is vital for successful reproduction in mammals, and two different types of epithelia (luminal and glandular) are essential for embryo implantation and...
The uterus is vital for successful reproduction in mammals, and two different types of epithelia (luminal and glandular) are essential for embryo implantation and pregnancy establishment. However, the essential cellular and molecular factors and pathways governing postnatal epithelium maturation, determination, and differentiation in developing uterus are yet to be elucidated. Here, the epithelium of the neonatal mouse uterus was isolated and subjected to single-cell transcriptome (scRNA-seq) analysis. Both the undifferentiated epithelium and determined luminal epithelium were heterogeneous and contained several different cell clusters based on single-cell transcription profiles. Substantial gene expression differences were evident as the epithelium matured and differentiated between postnatal days 1 to 15. Two new glandular epithelium-expressed genes ( and ) were identified and validated by in situ hybridization. Trajectory analyses provided a framework for understanding epithelium maturation, lineage bifurcation, and differentiation. A candidate set of transcription factors and gene regulatory networks were identified that potentially direct epithelium lineage specification and morphogenesis. This atlas provides a foundation important to discover intrinsic cellular and molecular mechanisms directing uterine epithelium morphogenesis during a critical window of postnatal development.
Topics: Animals; Pregnancy; Mice; Female; Animals, Newborn; Uterus; Morphogenesis; Transcription Factors; Epithelium; Embryo Implantation; Mammals
PubMed: 38019863
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316410120 -
Physical Biology Sep 2023Cells communicate with each other to jointly regulate cellular processes during cellular differentiation and tissue morphogenesis. This multiscale coordination arises... (Review)
Review
Cells communicate with each other to jointly regulate cellular processes during cellular differentiation and tissue morphogenesis. This multiscale coordination arises through the spatiotemporal activity of morphogens to pattern cell signaling and transcriptional factor activity. This coded information controls cell mechanics, proliferation, and differentiation to shape the growth and morphogenesis of organs. While many of the molecular components and physical interactions have been identified in key model developmental systems, there are still many unresolved questions related to the dynamics involved due to challenges in precisely perturbing and quantitatively measuring signaling dynamics. Recently, a broad range of synthetic optogenetic tools have been developed and employed to quantitatively define relationships between signal transduction and downstream cellular responses. These optogenetic tools can control intracellular activities at the single cell or whole tissue scale to direct subsequent biological processes. In this brief review, we highlight a selected set of studies that develop and implement optogenetic tools to unravel quantitative biophysical mechanisms for tissue growth and morphogenesis across a broad range of biological systems through the manipulation of morphogens, signal transduction cascades, and cell mechanics. More generally, we discuss how optogenetic tools have emerged as a powerful platform for probing and controlling multicellular development.
Topics: Optogenetics; Morphogenesis; Cell Communication; Signal Transduction; Biological Phenomena
PubMed: 37678266
DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/acf7a1 -
The Journal of Biological Chemistry Aug 2023Lung branching morphogenesis relies on a complex coordination of multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors. Here, we found that ablation of the LIM...
Lung branching morphogenesis relies on a complex coordination of multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors. Here, we found that ablation of the LIM homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) in lung epithelium resulted in defective branching morphogenesis and incomplete formation of five lobes. A reduction in mesenchymal cell proliferation was observed in Isl1 lungs. There was no difference in apoptosis between the wild-type (Shh) and Isl1 embryos. RNA-Seq and in situ hybridization analysis showed that Shh, Ptch1, Sox9, Irx1, Irx2, Tbx2, and Tbx3 were downregulated in the lungs of Isl1 embryos. ChIP assay implied the Shh gene served as a direct target of ISL1, since the transcription factor ISL1 could bind to the Shh epithelial enhancer sequence (MACS1). Also, activation of the Hedgehog pathway via ectopic gene expression rescued the defects caused by Isl1 ablation, confirming the genetic integration of Hedgehog signaling. In conclusion, our works suggest that epithelial Isl1 regulates lung branching morphogenesis through administrating the Shh signaling mediated epithelial-mesenchymal communications.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Hedgehog Proteins; Lung; Morphogenesis; Signal Transduction; Transcription Factors; Animals; Mice
PubMed: 37442233
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105034 -
ELife May 2024Geometric criteria can be used to assess whether cell intercalation is active or passive during the convergent extension of tissue.
Geometric criteria can be used to assess whether cell intercalation is active or passive during the convergent extension of tissue.
Topics: Animals; Zebrafish; Morphogenesis
PubMed: 38700510
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.98052 -
ELife Sep 2023The acquisition of distinct branch sizes and shapes is a central aspect in tubular organ morphogenesis and function. In the airway tree, the interplay of apical...
The acquisition of distinct branch sizes and shapes is a central aspect in tubular organ morphogenesis and function. In the airway tree, the interplay of apical extracellular matrix (ECM) components with the underlying membrane and cytoskeleton controls tube elongation, but the link between ECM composition with apical membrane morphogenesis and tube size regulation is elusive. Here, we characterized Emp (epithelial membrane protein), a CD36 homolog belonging to the scavenger receptor class B protein family. mutant embryos fail to internalize the luminal chitin deacetylases Serp and Verm at the final stages of airway maturation and die at hatching with liquid filled airways. Emp localizes in apical epithelial membranes and shows cargo selectivity for LDLr-domain containing proteins. mutants also display over elongated tracheal tubes with increased levels of the apical proteins Crb, DE-cad, and phosphorylated Src (p-Src). We show that Emp associates with and organizes the βH-Spectrin cytoskeleton and is itself confined by apical F-actin bundles. Overexpression or loss of its cargo protein Serp lead to abnormal apical accumulations of Emp and perturbations in p-Src levels. We propose that during morphogenesis, Emp senses and responds to luminal cargo levels by initiating apical membrane endocytosis along the longitudinal tube axis and thereby restricts airway elongation.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila Proteins; Endocytosis; Morphogenesis; Receptors, Scavenger; Trachea
PubMed: 37706489
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.84974