A Compression Engine to Coordinate Tissue Elongation in the Embryo

How tissue remodelling is coordinated during morphogenesis is still an open question. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Xiong et al. (2020) reveals the regulation of coordinated tissue elongation during avian embryonic development by inter-tissue mechanical interactions acting as a compression engine.Peer reviewe

Tissue mechanics in morphogenesis: Active control of tissue material properties to shape living organisms

Cellular forces translate into epithelial deformations to shape animal organisms. To set the proper deformations, these forces are modulated in space and time during development. However, several studies have recently highlighted that, in addition to forces, tissue mechanical properties are also actively controlled in space and time to determine the final tissue shape. In this review, we present the different ways used by epithelial tissues to regulate their mechanics and deformability. The choice of one or combination of modes to control mechanical properties is context dependent. Thus, we will first present our current knowledge on tissue mechanical properties, the cellular strategies to modulate them, and the methods used to assess them. We will then present a few examples in which control of epithelial mechanical properties impacts morphogenesis.The research in the Solon lab is granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Plan Nacional, PID2019-109117GB-100. We acknowledge the support of the Fundaciòn Biofisika Bizkaia and the Basque Excellence Research Centre of the Basque Governement.Peer reviewe