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Ku HY, Bilder D. Basement membrane patterning by spatial deployment of a secretion-regulating protease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2025; 122:e2412161122. [PMID: 40359035 PMCID: PMC12107121 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2412161122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2025] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
While paradigms for patterning of cell fates in development are well established, paradigms for patterning morphogenesis, particularly when organ shape is influenced by the extracellular matrix (ECM), are not. Morphogenesis of the Drosophila egg chamber (follicle) depends on anterior-posterior distribution of basement membrane (BM) components such as Collagen IV (Col4), whose gradient creates tissue mechanical properties that specify the degree of elongation. Here, we show that the gradient is not regulated by Col4 transcription but instead relies on posttranscriptional mechanisms. The metalloprotease ADAMTS-A, expressed in a gradient inverse to that of Col4, limits Col4 deposition in the follicle center and manipulation of its levels can cause either organ hyper- or hypoelongation. We present evidence that ADAMTS-A acts within the secretory pathway, rather than extracellularly, to limit Col4 incorporation into the BM. High levels of ADAMTS-A in follicle termini are normally dispensable but suppress Col4 incorporation when transcription is elevated. Meanwhile, the terminally expressed metalloprotease Stall increases Col4 turnover in the posterior. Our data show how an organ can employ patterned expression of ECM proteases with intracellular as well as extracellular activity to specify BM properties that control shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yu Ku
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA94720
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2
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Wuergezhen D, Gindroz E, Morita R, Hashimoto K, Abe T, Kiyonari H, Fujiwara H. An eGFP-Col4a2 mouse model reveals basement membrane dynamics underlying hair follicle morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 2025; 224:e202404003. [PMID: 39656438 PMCID: PMC11629887 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202404003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 10/26/2024] [Accepted: 11/11/2024] [Indexed: 12/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Precisely controlled remodeling of the basement membrane (BM) is crucial for morphogenesis, but its molecular and tissue-level dynamics, underlying mechanisms, and functional significance in mammals remain largely unknown due to limited visualization tools. We developed mouse lines in which the endogenous collagen IV gene (Col4a2) was fused with a fluorescent tag. Through live imaging of developing hair follicles, we reveal a spatial gradient in the turnover rate of COL4A2 that is closely coupled with both the BM expansion rate and the proliferation rate of epithelial progenitors. Epithelial progenitors are displaced with directionally expanding BMs but do not actively migrate on stationary BM. The addition of a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor delays COL4A2 turnover, restrains BM expansion, and increases perpendicular divisions of epithelial progenitors, altering hair follicle morphology. Our findings highlight the spatially distinct dynamics of BM and their key roles in orchestrating progenitor cell behavior and organ shape during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duligengaowa Wuergezhen
- Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Eleonore Gindroz
- Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Ritsuko Morita
- Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kei Hashimoto
- Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
- Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takaya Abe
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hironobu Fujiwara
- Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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3
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Shewale B, Ebrahim T, Samal A, Dubois N. Molecular Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Maturation. Curr Cardiol Rep 2025; 27:32. [PMID: 39836238 DOI: 10.1007/s11886-024-02189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2025]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW This review aims to discuss the process of cardiomyocyte maturation, with a focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms required to form a fully functional heart. We examine both long-standing concepts associated with cardiac maturation and recent developments, and the overall complexity of molecularly integrating all the processes that lead to a mature heart. RECENT FINDINGS Cardiac maturation, defined here as the sequential changes that occurring before the heart reaches full maturity, has been a subject of investigation for decades. Recently, there has been a renewed, highly focused interest in this process, driven by clinically motivated research areas where enhancing maturation may lead to improved therapeutic opportunities. These include using pluripotent stem cell models for cell therapy and disease modeling, as well as recent advancements in adult cardiac regeneration approaches. We highlight key processes underlying maturation of the heart, including cellular and organ growth, and electrophysiological, metabolic, and contractile maturation. We further discuss how these processes integrate and interact to contribute to the overall complexity of the developing heart. Finally, we emphasize the transformative potential for translating relevant maturation concepts to emerging models of heart disease and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavana Shewale
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Graduate School at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Tasneem Ebrahim
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Graduate School at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Arushi Samal
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Graduate School at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Nicole Dubois
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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4
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Otaki JM, Tanaka A, Hirose E. Butterfly pupal wing tissue with an eyespot organizer. Cells Dev 2025:203992. [PMID: 39755276 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2024] [Revised: 11/25/2024] [Accepted: 12/28/2024] [Indexed: 01/06/2025]
Abstract
Butterfly wing eyespots are developmentally determined at the early pupal stage, when prospective eyespot focal cells underneath the pupal cuticle focal spot function as eyespot organizers in the pupal wing tissue. Here, we performed light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to describe cellular structures of pupal wing tissue with an eyespot organizer immediately after pupation using the Blue Pansy butterfly Junonia orithya. The pupal forewing dorsal epidermis was a pseudostratified monolayer of vertically elongated epidermal cells. The apical portion of the cells adhered laterally to one another, but their medial and basal portions were thinner than the apical portion and were tilted to enclose cells at the center, forming a cellular cluster. The cellular cluster at the organizer was relatively large laterally and vertically. The apical portion of the cells and its corresponding cuticle at the organizer were thicker than those in the surroundings. The innermost cuticle layer was being synthesized, indicating high cuticle synthesis and secretion activity of the cells. At the medial and basal portions of the dorsal epidermis, there were many intracellular and extracellular vacuole-like globules, most likely containing extracellular matrix molecules. Some of the basal processes from epidermal cells extended to form protrusions of the basement membrane, which was often attended by hemocytes. These results suggest that the butterfly eyespot organizer is composed of a single or a few cellular clusters that secrete more cuticle than surrounding clusters, supporting the pupal cuticle hypothesis that cuticle formation is critical for eyespot color pattern determination in butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji M Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Atsuko Tanaka
- Laboratory of Algal Functional Morphology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Euichi Hirose
- Tunicate Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
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Mori Y, Smith S, Wang J, Eliora N, Heikes KL, Munjal A. Versican controlled by Lmx1b regulates hyaluronate density and hydration for semicircular canal morphogenesis. Development 2025; 152:dev203003. [PMID: 39651757 PMCID: PMC11829767 DOI: 10.1242/dev.203003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 11/29/2024] [Indexed: 12/11/2024]
Abstract
During inner ear semicircular canal morphogenesis in zebrafish, patterned canal-genesis zones express genes for extracellular matrix component synthesis. These include hyaluronan and the hyaluronan-binding chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan Versican, which are abundant in the matrices of many developing organs. Charged hyaluronate polymers play a key role in canal morphogenesis through osmotic swelling. However, the developmental factor(s) that pattern the synthesis of the matrix components and regulation of hyaluronate density and swelling are unknown. Here, we identify the transcription factor Lmx1b as a positive transcriptional regulator of hyaluronan, Versican, and chondroitin synthesis genes crucial for canal morphogenesis. We show that Versican regulates hyaluronan density through its protein core, whereas the charged chondroitin side chains contribute to the hydration of hyaluronate-containing extracellular matrices. Versican-tuned properties of hyaluronate matrices may be a broadly used mechanism in morphogenesis with important implications for understanding diseases in which these matrices are impaired, and for hydrogel engineering for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Mori
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sierra Smith
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Nadia Eliora
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kira L. Heikes
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Akankshi Munjal
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Ku HY, Bilder D. Basement membrane patterning by spatial deployment of a secretion-regulating protease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.06.602330. [PMID: 39026720 PMCID: PMC11257494 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.06.602330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
While paradigms for patterning of cell fates in development are well-established, paradigms for patterning morphogenesis, particularly when organ shape is influenced by the extracellular matrix (ECM), are less so. Morphogenesis of the Drosophila egg chamber (follicle) depends on anterior-posterior distribution of basement membrane (BM) components such as Collagen IV (Col4), whose symmetric gradient creates tissue mechanical properties that specify the degree of elongation. Here we show that the gradient is not regulated by Col4 transcription but instead relies on post-transcriptional mechanisms. The metalloprotease ADAMTS-A, expressed in a gradient inverse to that of Col4, limits Col4 deposition in the follicle center and manipulation of its levels can cause either organ hyper- or hypo-elongation. We present evidence that ADAMTS-A acts within the secretory pathway, rather than extracellularly, to limit Col4 incorporation into the BM. High levels of ADAMTS-A in follicle termini are normally dispensable but suppress Col4 incorporation when transcription is elevated. Our data show how an organ can employ patterned expression of ECM proteases with intracellular as well as extracellular activity to specify BM properties that control shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yu Ku
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley Berkeley CA, 94720, USA
| | - David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley Berkeley CA, 94720, USA
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Alasaadi DN, Mayor R. Mechanically guided cell fate determination in early development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:242. [PMID: 38811420 PMCID: PMC11136904 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05272-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Cell fate determination, a vital process in early development and adulthood, has been the focal point of intensive investigation over the past decades. Its importance lies in its critical role in shaping various and diverse cell types during embryonic development and beyond. Exploration of cell fate determination started with molecular and genetic investigations unveiling central signaling pathways and molecular regulatory networks. The molecular studies into cell fate determination yielded an overwhelming amount of information invoking the notion of the complexity of cell fate determination. However, recent advances in the framework of biomechanics have introduced a paradigm shift in our understanding of this intricate process. The physical forces and biochemical interplay, known as mechanotransduction, have been identified as a pivotal drive influencing cell fate decisions. Certainly, the integration of biomechanics into the process of cell fate pushed our understanding of the developmental process and potentially holds promise for therapeutic applications. This integration was achieved by identifying physical forces like hydrostatic pressure, fluid dynamics, tissue stiffness, and topography, among others, and examining their interplay with biochemical signals. This review focuses on recent advances investigating the relationship between physical cues and biochemical signals that control cell fate determination during early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delan N Alasaadi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Roberto Mayor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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Boutillon A, Banavar SP, Campàs O. Conserved physical mechanisms of cell and tissue elongation. Development 2024; 151:dev202687. [PMID: 38767601 PMCID: PMC11190436 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Living organisms have the ability to self-shape into complex structures appropriate for their function. The genetic and molecular mechanisms that enable cells to do this have been extensively studied in several model and non-model organisms. In contrast, the physical mechanisms that shape cells and tissues have only recently started to emerge, in part thanks to new quantitative in vivo measurements of the physical quantities guiding morphogenesis. These data, combined with indirect inferences of physical characteristics, are starting to reveal similarities in the physical mechanisms underlying morphogenesis across different organisms. Here, we review how physics contributes to shape cells and tissues in a simple, yet ubiquitous, morphogenetic transformation: elongation. Drawing from observed similarities across species, we propose the existence of conserved physical mechanisms of morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Boutillon
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Samhita P. Banavar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Otger Campàs
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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Mori Y, Smith S, Wang J, Munjal A. Versican controlled by Lmx1b regulates hyaluronate density and hydration for semicircular canal morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.592968. [PMID: 38766227 PMCID: PMC11100707 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.592968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
During inner ear semicircular canal morphogenesis in zebrafish, patterned canal-genesis zones express genes for extracellular matrix component synthesis. These include hyaluronan and the hyaluronan-binding chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan Versican, which are abundant in the matrices of many developing organs. Charged hyaluronate polymers play a key role in canal morphogenesis through osmotic swelling. However, the developmental factor(s) that control the synthesis of the matrix components and regulation of hyaluronate density and swelling are unknown. Here, we identify the transcription factor, Lmx1b, as a positive transcriptional regulator of hyaluronan, Versican, and chondroitin synthesis genes crucial for canal morphogenesis. We show that Versican regulates hyaluronan density through its protein core, whereas the charged chondroitin side chains contribute to the osmotic swelling of hyaluronate. Versican-tuned properties of hyaluronate matrices may be a broadly used mechanism in morphogenesis with important implications for understanding diseases where these matrices are impaired, and for hydrogel engineering for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Mori
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Sierra Smith
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
| | - Akankshi Munjal
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27710
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