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Pastor-Escuredo D, Lombardot B, Savy T, Boyreau A, Doursat R, Goicolea JM, Santos A, Bourgine P, del Álamo JC, Ledesma- Carbayo MJ, Peyriéras N. Unsupervised spatiotemporal classification of deformation patterns of embryonic tissues matches their fate map. iScience 2025; 28:111753. [PMID: 40124490 PMCID: PMC11926744 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.111753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2025] [Indexed: 03/25/2025] Open
Abstract
During morphogenesis, embryonic tissues display fluid-like behavior with fluctuating strain rates. Digital cell lineages reconstructed from 4D images of developing zebrafish embryos are used to infer representative tissue deformation patterns and their association with developmental events. Finite deformation analysis along cell trajectories and unsupervised machine learning are applied to obtain reduced-order models condensing the collective cell motions, delineating tissue domains with distinct 4D biomechanical behavior. This reduced-order kinematic description is reproducible across specimens and matches fate maps of the zebrafish brain in wild-type and nodal pathway mutants (zoeptz57/tz57 ), shedding light into the morphogenetic defects causing these mutants' cyclopia. Furthermore, the inferred kinematic maps also match expression maps of the gene transcription factor goosecoid (gsc). In summary, this work introduces an objective analytical framework to systematically unravel the complex spatiotemporal patterns of embryonic tissue deformations and couple them with cell fate and gene expression maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pastor-Escuredo
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSIT, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Benoît Lombardot
- UPS3611 Complex Systems Institute Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF), CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Savy
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- UPS3611 Complex Systems Institute Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF), CNRS, Paris, France
- Matières et Systèmes Complexes (MSC) UMR7057, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Adeline Boyreau
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - René Doursat
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- UPS3611 Complex Systems Institute Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF), CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jose M. Goicolea
- Computational Mechanics Group, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Santos
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSIT, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paul Bourgine
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- UPS3611 Complex Systems Institute Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF), CNRS, Paris, France
- Matières et Systèmes Complexes (MSC) UMR7057, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Juan C. del Álamo
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - María J. Ledesma- Carbayo
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSIT, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nadine Peyriéras
- USR3695/FRE2039 BioEmergences, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- UPS3611 Complex Systems Institute Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF), CNRS, Paris, France
- Matières et Systèmes Complexes (MSC) UMR7057, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75013 Paris, France
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Al Asafen H, Beseli A, Chen HY, Hiremath S, Williams CM, Reeves GT. Dynamics of BMP signaling and stable gene expression in the early Drosophila embryo. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio061646. [PMID: 39207258 PMCID: PMC11381920 DOI: 10.1242/bio.061646] [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: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In developing tissues, morphogen gradients are thought to initialize gene expression patterns. However, the relationship between the dynamics of morphogen-encoded signals and gene expression decisions is largely unknown. Here we examine the dynamics of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathway in Drosophila blastoderm-stage embryos. In this tissue, the BMP pathway is highly dynamic: it begins as a broad and weak signal on the dorsal half of the embryo, then 20-30 min later refines into a narrow, intense peak centered on the dorsal midline. This dynamical progression of the BMP signal raises questions of how it stably activates target genes. Therefore, we performed live imaging of the BMP signal and found that dorsal-lateral cells experience only a short transient in BMP signaling, after which the signal is lost completely. Moreover, we measured the transcriptional response of the BMP target gene pannier in live embryos and found it to remain activated in dorsal-lateral cells, even after the BMP signal is lost. Our findings may suggest that the BMP pathway activates a memory, or 'ratchet' mechanism that may sustain gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadel Al Asafen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Aydin Beseli
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Hung-Yuan Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843,USA
| | - Sharva Hiremath
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695,USA
- North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695,USA
| | - Cranos M. Williams
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695,USA
- North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695,USA
| | - Gregory T. Reeves
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843,USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843,USA
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3
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Higashi T, Saito AC, Chiba H. Damage control of epithelial barrier function in dynamic environments. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151410. [PMID: 38579602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial tissues cover the surfaces and lumens of the internal organs of multicellular animals and crucially contribute to internal environment homeostasis by delineating distinct compartments within the body. This vital role is known as epithelial barrier function. Epithelial cells are arranged like cobblestones and intricately bind together to form an epithelial sheet that upholds this barrier function. Central to the restriction of solute and fluid diffusion through intercellular spaces are occluding junctions, tight junctions in vertebrates and septate junctions in invertebrates. As part of epithelial tissues, cells undergo constant renewal, with older cells being replaced by new ones. Simultaneously, the epithelial tissue undergoes relative rearrangement, elongating, and shifting directionally as a whole. The movement or shape changes within the epithelial sheet necessitate significant deformation and reconnection of occluding junctions. Recent advancements have shed light on the intricate mechanisms through which epithelial cells sustain their barrier function in dynamic environments. This review aims to introduce these noteworthy findings and discuss some of the questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohito Higashi
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
| | - Akira C Saito
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hideki Chiba
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
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4
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Hohmann U, Ghadban C, Prell J, Strauss C, Dehghani F, Hohmann T. A toolbox to analyze collective cell migration, proliferation and cellular organization simultaneously. Cell Adh Migr 2023; 17:1-11. [PMID: 37938930 PMCID: PMC10773533 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2023.2276615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Analyses of collective cell migration and orientation phenomena are needed to assess the behavior of multicellular clusters. While some tools to the authors' knowledge none is capable to analyze collective migration, cellular orientation and proliferation in phase contrast images simultaneously. METHODS We provide a tool based to analyze phase contrast images of dense cell layers. PIV is used to calculatevelocity fields, while the structure tensor provides cellular orientation. An artificial neural network is used to identify cell division events, allowing to correlate migratory and organizational phenomena with cell density. CONCLUSION The presented tool allows the simultaneous analysis of collective cell behavior from phase contrast images in terms of migration, (self-)organization and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Hohmann
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Chalid Ghadban
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Julian Prell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Christian Strauss
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Faramarz Dehghani
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Tim Hohmann
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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5
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Sun J, Zhang C, Gao F, Stathopoulos A. Single-cell transcriptomics illuminates regulatory steps driving anterior-posterior patterning of Drosophila embryonic mesoderm. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113289. [PMID: 37858470 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113289] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell technologies promise to uncover how transcriptional programs orchestrate complex processes during embryogenesis. Here, we apply a combination of single-cell technology and genetic analysis to investigate the dynamic transcriptional changes associated with Drosophila embryo morphogenesis at gastrulation. Our dataset encompassing the blastoderm-to-gastrula transition provides a comprehensive single-cell map of gene expression across cell lineages validated by genetic analysis. Subclustering and trajectory analyses revealed a surprising stepwise progression in patterning to transition zygotic gene expression and specify germ layers as well as uncovered an early role for ecdysone signaling in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the mesoderm. We also show multipotent progenitors arise prior to gastrulation by analyzing the transcription trajectory of caudal mesoderm cells, including a derivative that ultimately incorporates into visceral muscles of the midgut and hindgut. This study provides a rich resource of gastrulation and elucidates spatially regulated temporal transitions of transcription states during the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Chen Zhang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Fan Gao
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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6
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Galenza A, Moreno-Roman P, Su YH, Acosta-Alvarez L, Debec A, Guichet A, Knapp JM, Kizilyaprak C, Humbel BM, Kolotuev I, O'Brien LE. Basal stem cell progeny establish their apical surface in a junctional niche during turnover of an adult barrier epithelium. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:658-671. [PMID: 36997641 PMCID: PMC10317055 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01116-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Barrier epithelial organs face the constant challenge of sealing the interior body from the external environment while simultaneously replacing the cells that contact this environment. New replacement cells-the progeny of basal stem cells-are born without barrier-forming structures such as a specialized apical membrane and occluding junctions. Here, we investigate how new progeny acquire barrier structures as they integrate into the intestinal epithelium of adult Drosophila. We find they gestate their future apical membrane in a sublumenal niche created by a transitional occluding junction that envelops the differentiating cell and enables it to form a deep, microvilli-lined apical pit. The transitional junction seals the pit from the intestinal lumen until differentiation-driven, basal-to-apical remodelling of the niche opens the pit and integrates the now-mature cell into the barrier. By coordinating junctional remodelling with terminal differentiation, stem cell progeny integrate into a functional, adult epithelium without jeopardizing barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Galenza
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Paola Moreno-Roman
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Foldscope Instruments, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Han Su
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lehi Acosta-Alvarez
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alain Debec
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, iEES, Sorbonne University, UPEC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Guichet
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | | | - Caroline Kizilyaprak
- Université de Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, Quartier Sorge, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bruno M Humbel
- Université de Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, Quartier Sorge, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Provost's Office, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Tancha, Japan
| | - Irina Kolotuev
- Université de Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, Quartier Sorge, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lucy Erin O'Brien
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology and Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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7
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Lei Y, Huang Y, Yang K, Cao X, Song Y, Martín-Blanco E, Pastor-Pareja JC. FGF signaling promotes spreading of fat body precursors necessary for adult adipogenesis in Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002050. [PMID: 36947563 PMCID: PMC10069774 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of adipogenetic mechanisms is essential to understand and treat conditions affecting organismal metabolism and adipose tissue health. In Drosophila, mature adipose tissue (fat body) exists in larvae and adults. In contrast to the well-known development of the larval fat body from the embryonic mesoderm, adult adipogenesis has remained mysterious. Furthermore, conclusive proof of its physiological significance is lacking. Here, we show that the adult fat body originates from a pool of undifferentiated mesodermal precursors that migrate from the thorax into the abdomen during metamorphosis. Through in vivo imaging, we found that these precursors spread from the ventral midline and cover the inner surface of the abdomen in a process strikingly reminiscent of embryonic mesoderm migration, requiring fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling as well. FGF signaling guides migration dorsally and regulates adhesion to the substrate. After spreading is complete, precursor differentiation involves fat accumulation and cell fusion that produces mature binucleate and tetranucleate adipocytes. Finally, we show that flies where adult adipogenesis is impaired by knock down of FGF receptor Heartless or transcription factor Serpent display ectopic fat accumulation in oenocytes and decreased resistance to starvation. Our results reveal that adult adipogenesis occurs de novo during metamorphosis and demonstrate its crucial physiological role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Lei
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuwei Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueya Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuzhao Song
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Enrique Martín-Blanco
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Carlos Pastor-Pareja
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Neurosciences, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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8
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Ákos Z, Dunipace L, Stathopoulos A. NaNuTrap: a technique for in vivo cell nucleus labelling using nanobodies. Development 2021; 148:dev199822. [PMID: 34328170 PMCID: PMC10656463 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In vivo cell labelling is challenging in fast developmental processes because many cell types differentiate more quickly than the maturation time of fluorescent proteins, making visualization of these tissues impossible with standard techniques. Here, we present a nanobody-based method, Nanobody Nuclear Trap (NaNuTrap), which works with the existing Gal4/UAS system in Drosophila and allows for early in vivo cell nuclei labelling independently of the maturation time of the fluorescent protein. This restores the utility of fluorescent proteins that have longer maturation times, such as those used in two-photon imaging, for live imaging of fast or very early developmental processes. We also present a more general application of this system, whereby NaNuTrap can convert cytoplasmic GFP expressed in any existing transgenic fly line into a nuclear label. This nuclear re-localization of the fluorescent signal can improve the utility of the GFP label, e.g. in cell counting, as well as resulting in a general increase in intensity of the live fluorescent signal. We demonstrate these capabilities of NaNuTrap by effectively tracking subsets of cells during the fast movements associated with gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Ákos
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Leslie Dunipace
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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9
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Mishra N, Heisenberg CP. Dissecting Organismal Morphogenesis by Bridging Genetics and Biophysics. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:209-233. [PMID: 34460295 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-071819-103748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Multicellular organisms develop complex shapes from much simpler, single-celled zygotes through a process commonly called morphogenesis. Morphogenesis involves an interplay between several factors, ranging from the gene regulatory networks determining cell fate and differentiation to the mechanical processes underlying cell and tissue shape changes. Thus, the study of morphogenesis has historically been based on multidisciplinary approaches at the interface of biology with physics and mathematics. Recent technological advances have further improved our ability to study morphogenesis by bridging the gap between the genetic and biophysical factors through the development of new tools for visualizing, analyzing, and perturbing these factors and their biochemical intermediaries. Here, we review how a combination of genetic, microscopic, biophysical, and biochemical approaches has aided our attempts to understand morphogenesis and discuss potential approaches that may be beneficial to such an inquiry in the future. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Mishra
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria; ,
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10
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Amack JD. Cellular dynamics of EMT: lessons from live in vivo imaging of embryonic development. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:79. [PMID: 34294089 PMCID: PMC8296657 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00761-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) refers to a process in which epithelial cells lose apical-basal polarity and loosen cell-cell junctions to take on mesenchymal cell morphologies and invasive properties that facilitate migration through extracellular matrix. EMT-and the reverse mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET)-are evolutionarily conserved processes that are used throughout embryonic development to drive tissue morphogenesis. During adult life, EMT is activated to close wounds after injury, but also can be used by cancers to promote metastasis. EMT is controlled by several mechanisms that depend on context. In response to cell-cell signaling and/or interactions with the local environment, cells undergoing EMT make rapid changes in kinase and adaptor proteins, adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules, and gene expression. Many of these changes modulate localization, activity, or expression of cytoskeletal proteins that mediate cell shape changes and cell motility. Since cellular changes during EMT are highly dynamic and context-dependent, it is ideal to analyze this process in situ in living organisms. Embryonic development of model organisms is amenable to live time-lapse microscopy, which provides an opportunity to watch EMT as it happens. Here, with a focus on functions of the actin cytoskeleton, I review recent examples of how live in vivo imaging of embryonic development has led to new insights into mechanisms of EMT. At the same time, I highlight specific developmental processes in model embryos-gastrulation in fly and mouse embryos, and neural crest cell development in zebrafish and frog embryos-that provide in vivo platforms for visualizing cellular dynamics during EMT. In addition, I introduce Kupffer's vesicle in the zebrafish embryo as a new model system to investigate EMT and MET. I discuss how these systems have provided insights into the dynamics of adherens junction remodeling, planar cell polarity signaling, cadherin functions, and cytoskeletal organization during EMT, which are not only important for understanding development, but also cancer progression. These findings shed light on mechanisms of actin cytoskeletal dynamics during EMT, and feature live in vivo imaging strategies that can be exploited in future work to identify new mechanisms of EMT and MET. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Amack
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA. .,BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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11
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Yadav V, Tolwinski N, Saunders TE. Spatiotemporal sensitivity of mesoderm specification to FGFR signalling in the Drosophila embryo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14091. [PMID: 34238963 PMCID: PMC8266908 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93512-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of the Drosophila embryonic mesoderm is controlled through both internal and external inputs to the mesoderm. One such factor is Heartless (Htl), a Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) expressed in the mesoderm. Although Htl has been extensively studied, the dynamics of its action are poorly understood after the initial phases of mesoderm formation and spreading. To begin to address this challenge, we have developed an optogenetic version of the FGFR Heartless in Drosophila (Opto-htl). Opto-htl enables us to activate the FGFR pathway in selective spatial (~ 35 μm section from one of the lateral sides of the embryo) and temporal domains (ranging from 40 min to 14 h) during embryogenesis. Importantly, the effects can be tuned by the intensity of light-activation, making this approach significantly more flexible than other genetic approaches. We performed controlled perturbations to the FGFR pathway to define the contribution of Htl signalling to the formation of the developing embryonic heart and somatic muscles. We find a direct correlation between Htl signalling dosage and number of Tinman-positive heart cells specified. Opto-htl activation favours the specification of Tinman positive cardioblasts and eliminates Eve-positive DA1 muscles. This effect is seen to increase progressively with increasing light intensity. Therefore, fine tuning of phenotypic responses to varied Htl signalling dosage can be achieved more conveniently than with other genetic approaches. Overall, Opto-htl is a powerful new tool for dissecting the role of FGFR signalling during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Yadav
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - N. Tolwinski
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Yale-NUS, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - T. E. Saunders
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.185448.40000 0004 0637 0221Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*Star, Singapore, Singapore ,grid.7372.10000 0000 8809 1613Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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12
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Wu TC, Wang X, Li L, Bu Y, Umulis DM. Automatic wavelet-based 3D nuclei segmentation and analysis for multicellular embryo quantification. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9847. [PMID: 33972575 PMCID: PMC8110989 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88966-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of individual cells in tissues, organs, and in various developing systems is a well-studied problem because it is an essential part of objectively analyzing quantitative images in numerous biological contexts. We developed a size-dependent wavelet-based segmentation method that provides robust segmentation without any preprocessing, filtering or fine-tuning steps, and is robust to the signal-to-noise ratio. The wavelet-based method achieves robust segmentation results with respect to True Positive rate, Precision, and segmentation accuracy compared with other commonly used methods. We applied the segmentation program to zebrafish embryonic development IN TOTO for nuclei segmentation, image registration, and nuclei shape analysis. These new approaches to segmentation provide a means to carry out quantitative patterning analysis with single-cell precision throughout three dimensional tissues and embryos and they have a high tolerance for non-uniform and noisy image data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Ching Wu
- grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Xu Wang
- grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA ,grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA ,grid.508040.9Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005 China
| | - Linlin Li
- grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Ye Bu
- grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - David M. Umulis
- grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA ,grid.169077.e0000 0004 1937 2197Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
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13
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A two-tier junctional mechanism drives simultaneous tissue folding and extension. Dev Cell 2021; 56:1469-1483.e5. [PMID: 33891900 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During embryo development, tissues often undergo multiple concomitant changes in shape. It is unclear which signaling pathways and cellular mechanisms are responsible for multiple simultaneous tissue shape transformations. We focus on the process of concomitant tissue folding and extension that is key during gastrulation and neurulation. We use the Drosophila embryo as model system and focus on the process of mesoderm invagination. Here, we show that the prospective mesoderm simultaneously folds and extends. We report that mesoderm cells, under the control of anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral gene patterning synergy, establish two sets of adherens junctions at different apical-basal positions with specialized functions: while apical junctions drive apical constriction initiating tissue bending, lateral junctions concomitantly drive polarized cell intercalation, resulting in tissue convergence-extension. Thus, epithelial cells devise multiple specialized junctional sets that drive composite morphogenetic processes under the synergistic control of apparently orthogonal signaling sources.
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14
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Lemke S, Kale G, Urbansky S. Comparing gastrulation in flies: Links between cell biology and the evolution of embryonic morphogenesis. Mech Dev 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Abstract
Cell intercalation is a key topological transformation driving tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis and diseases such as cancer cell invasion. In recent years, much work has been undertaken to better elucidate the fundamental mechanisms controlling intercalation. Cells often use protrusions to propel themselves in between cell neighbours, resulting in topology changes. Nevertheless, in simple epithelial tissues, formed by a single layer of densely packed prism-shaped cells, topology change takes place in an astonishing fashion: cells exchange neighbours medio-laterally by conserving their apical-basal architecture and by maintaining an intact epithelial layer. Medio-lateral cell intercalation in simple epithelia is thus an exemplary case of both robustness and plasticity. Interestingly, in simple epithelia, cells use a combinatory set of mechanisms to ensure a topological transformation at the apical and basal sides. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Contemporary morphogenesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rauzi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
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16
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Stepanik V, Sun J, Stathopoulos A. FGF Pyramus Has a Transmembrane Domain and Cell-Autonomous Function in Polarity. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3141-3153.e5. [PMID: 32619487 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Most fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) function as receptor ligands through their conserved FGF domain, but sequences outside this domain vary and are not well studied. This core domain of 120 amino acids (aa) is flanked in all FGFs by highly divergent amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sequences of variable length. Drosophila has fewer FGF genes, with only three identified to date, pyramus (pyr), thisbe (ths), and branchless (bnl), and all three encoding relatively large FGF proteins (∼80 kDa). We hypothesized that the longer FGF proteins present in Drosophila and other organisms may relate to an ancestral form, in which multiple functions or regulatory properties are present within a single polypeptide. Here, we focused analysis on Pyr, finding that it harbors a transmembrane domain (TMD) and extended C-terminal intracellular domain containing a degron. The intracellular portion limits Pyr levels, whereas the TMD promotes spatial precision in the paracrine activation of Heartless FGF receptor. Additionally, degron deletion mutants that upregulate Pyr exhibit cell polarity defects that lead to invagination defects at gastrulation, demonstrating a previously uncharacterized cell-autonomous role. In summary, our data show that Pyr is the first demonstrated transmembrane FGF, that it has both extracellular and intracellular functions, and that spatial distribution and levels of this particular FGF protein are tightly regulated. Our results suggest that other FGFs may be membrane tethered or multifunctional like Pyr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Stepanik
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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17
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Gheisari E, Aakhte M, Müller HAJ. Gastrulation in Drosophila melanogaster: Genetic control, cellular basis and biomechanics. Mech Dev 2020; 163:103629. [PMID: 32615151 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Gastrulation is generally understood as the morphogenetic processes that result in the spatial organization of the blastomere into the three germ layers, ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the morphogenetic mechanisms in Drosophila gastrulation. In addition to the events that drive mesoderm invagination and germband elongation, we pay particular attention to other, less well-known mechanisms including midgut invagination, cephalic furrow formation, dorsal fold formation, and mesoderm layer formation. This review covers topics ranging from the identification and functional characterization of developmental and morphogenetic control genes to the analysis of the physical properties of cells and tissues and the control of cell and tissue mechanics of the morphogenetic movements in the gastrula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Gheisari
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany
| | - Mostafa Aakhte
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany
| | - H-Arno J Müller
- Institute for Biology, Dept. Developmental Genetics, University of Kassel, Germany.
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18
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Lv Z, Rosenbaum J, Mohr S, Zhang X, Kong D, Preiß H, Kruss S, Alim K, Aspelmeier T, Großhans J. The Emergent Yo-yo Movement of Nuclei Driven by Cytoskeletal Remodeling in Pseudo-synchronous Mitotic Cycles. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2564-2573.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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19
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Sun J, Macabenta F, Akos Z, Stathopoulos A. Collective Migrations of Drosophila Embryonic Trunk and Caudal Mesoderm-Derived Muscle Precursor Cells. Genetics 2020; 215:297-322. [PMID: 32487692 PMCID: PMC7268997 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesoderm migration in the Drosophila embryo is a highly conserved, complex process that is required for the formation of specialized tissues and organs, including the somatic and visceral musculature. In this FlyBook chapter, we will compare and contrast the specification and migration of cells originating from the trunk and caudal mesoderm. Both cell types engage in collective migrations that enable cells to achieve new positions within developing embryos and form distinct tissues. To start, we will discuss specification and early morphogenetic movements of the presumptive mesoderm, then focus on the coordinate movements of the two subtypes trunk mesoderm and caudal visceral mesoderm, ending with a comparison of these processes including general insights gained through study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Frank Macabenta
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Zsuzsa Akos
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
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20
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Martin AC. The Physical Mechanisms of Drosophila Gastrulation: Mesoderm and Endoderm Invagination. Genetics 2020; 214:543-560. [PMID: 32132154 PMCID: PMC7054018 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical juncture in early development is the partitioning of cells that will adopt different fates into three germ layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm. This step is achieved through the internalization of specified cells from the outermost surface layer, through a process called gastrulation. In Drosophila, gastrulation is achieved through cell shape changes (i.e., apical constriction) that change tissue curvature and lead to the folding of a surface epithelium. Folding of embryonic tissue results in mesoderm and endoderm invagination, not as individual cells, but as collective tissue units. The tractability of Drosophila as a model system is best exemplified by how much we know about Drosophila gastrulation, from the signals that pattern the embryo to the molecular components that generate force, and how these components are organized to promote cell and tissue shape changes. For mesoderm invagination, graded signaling by the morphogen, Spätzle, sets up a gradient in transcriptional activity that leads to the expression of a secreted ligand (Folded gastrulation) and a transmembrane protein (T48). Together with the GPCR Mist, which is expressed in the mesoderm, and the GPCR Smog, which is expressed uniformly, these signals activate heterotrimeric G-protein and small Rho-family G-protein signaling to promote apical contractility and changes in cell and tissue shape. A notable feature of this signaling pathway is its intricate organization in both space and time. At the cellular level, signaling components and the cytoskeleton exhibit striking polarity, not only along the apical-basal cell axis, but also within the apical domain. Furthermore, gene expression controls a highly choreographed chain of events, the dynamics of which are critical for primordium invagination; it does not simply throw the cytoskeletal "on" switch. Finally, studies of Drosophila gastrulation have provided insight into how global tissue mechanics and movements are intertwined as multiple tissues simultaneously change shape. Overall, these studies have contributed to the view that cells respond to forces that propagate over great distances, demonstrating that cellular decisions, and, ultimately, tissue shape changes, proceed by integrating cues across an entire embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Martin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
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21
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Zabihihesari A, Hilliker AJ, Rezai P. Fly-on-a-Chip: Microfluidics for Drosophila melanogaster Studies. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 11:425-443. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The fruit fly or Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a promising model organism in genetics, developmental and behavioral studies as well as in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and toxicology. Not only all the developmental stages of Drosophila, including embryonic, larval, and adulthood stages, have been used in experimental in vivo biology, but also the organs, tissues, and cells extracted from this model have found applications in in vitro assays. However, the manual manipulation, cellular investigation and behavioral phenotyping techniques utilized in conventional Drosophila-based in vivo and in vitro assays are mostly time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low in throughput. Moreover, stimulation of the organism with external biological, chemical, or physical signals requires precision in signal delivery, while quantification of neural and behavioral phenotypes necessitates optical and physical accessibility to Drosophila. Recently, microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as powerful tools to overcome these challenges. This review paper demonstrates the role of microfluidic technology in Drosophila studies with a focus on both in vivo and in vitro investigations. The reviewed microfluidic devices are categorized based on their applications to various stages of Drosophila development. We have emphasized technologies that were utilized for tissue- and behavior-based investigations. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions in Drosophila-on-a-chip research, and its integration with other advanced technologies, will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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22
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The cellular and molecular mechanisms that establish the mechanics of Drosophila gastrulation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2020; 136:141-165. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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23
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Multi-scale imaging and analysis identify pan-embryo cell dynamics of germlayer formation in zebrafish. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5753. [PMID: 31848345 PMCID: PMC6917746 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The coordination of cell movements across spatio-temporal scales ensures precise positioning of organs during vertebrate gastrulation. Mechanisms governing such morphogenetic movements have been studied only within a local region, a single germlayer or in whole embryos without cell identity. Scale-bridging imaging and automated analysis of cell dynamics are needed for a deeper understanding of tissue formation during gastrulation. Here, we report pan-embryo analyses of formation and dynamics of all three germlayers simultaneously within a developing zebrafish embryo. We show that a distinct distribution of cells in each germlayer is established during early gastrulation via cell movement characteristics that are predominantly determined by their position in the embryo. The differences in initial germlayer distributions are subsequently amplified by a global movement, which organizes the organ precursors along the embryonic body axis, giving rise to the blueprint of organ formation. The tools and data are available as a resource for the community. The precise cell dynamics of early development have not yet been visualized. Here, the authors use custom 4-lens light sheet microscopy to image and analyze the dynamics of all three fluorescently labeled germlayers, yielding a comprehensive, pan-embryo description of early zebrafish gastrulation.
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24
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Abstract
Embryonic development is highly complex and dynamic, requiring the coordination of numerous molecular and cellular events at precise times and places. Advances in imaging technology have made it possible to follow developmental processes at cellular, tissue, and organ levels over time as they take place in the intact embryo. Parallel innovations of in vivo probes permit imaging to report on molecular, physiological, and anatomical events of embryogenesis, but the resulting multidimensional data sets pose significant challenges for extracting knowledge. In this review, we discuss recent and emerging advances in imaging technologies, in vivo labeling, and data processing that offer the greatest potential for jointly deciphering the intricate cellular dynamics and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our discussion of the emerging area of “image-omics” highlights both the challenges of data analysis and the promise of more fully embracing computation and data science for rapidly advancing our understanding of biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Cutrale
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Division of Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Le A. Trinh
- Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
- Division of Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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25
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Macabenta F, Stathopoulos A. Migrating cells control morphogenesis of substratum serving as track to promote directional movement of the collective. Development 2019; 146:dev.177295. [PMID: 31239242 DOI: 10.1242/dev.177295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila embryos, caudal visceral mesoderm (CVM) cells undergo bilateral migration along the trunk visceral mesoderm (TVM) in order to form midgut muscles. Mutation of FGF receptor Heartless (Htl) has been shown to cause CVM migration defects, particularly midline crossing of the bilateral groups. Here, we show that htl mutants also exhibit TVM defects including contralateral merging. Both CVM mismigration and TVM contralateral merging are attenuated by restoring FGF signaling specifically in the CVM, suggesting that migrating CVM cells influence TVM morphogenesis; however, the inverse, supplying FGF to the TVM, does not rescue CVM mismigration. In addition, we show that FGF regulates integrin expression in both tissues, but only providing a source of integrin specifically to the TVM attenuates the contralateral merging phenotype. Finally, we demonstrate that the CVM influences cell shape in the TVM, and a loss of CVM results in TVM morphological defects. In summary, this study provides insight into how a migrating collective of cells can influence their tissue substrate and supports the view that morphogenesis of tissues during development is interdependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Macabenta
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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26
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Sun J, Stathopoulos A. FGF controls epithelial-mesenchymal transitions during gastrulation by regulating cell division and apicobasal polarity. Development 2018; 145:dev.161927. [PMID: 30190277 DOI: 10.1242/dev.161927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
To support tissue and organ development, cells transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states. Here, we have investigated how mesoderm cells change state in Drosophila embryos and whether fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling plays a role. During gastrulation, presumptive mesoderm cells invaginate, undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal state transition (EMT) and migrate upon the ectoderm. Our data show that EMT is a prolonged process in which adherens junctions progressively decrease in number throughout the migration of mesoderm cells. FGF influences adherens junction number and promotes mesoderm cell division, which we propose decreases cell-cell attachments to support slow EMT while retaining collective cell movement. We also found that, at the completion of migration, cells form a monolayer and undergo a reverse mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). FGF activity leads to accumulation of β-integrin Myospheroid basally and cell polarity factor Bazooka apically within mesoderm cells, thereby reestablishing apicobasal cell polarity in an epithelialized state in which cells express both E-Cadherin and N-Cadherin. In summary, FGF plays a dynamic role in supporting mesoderm cell development to ensure collective mesoderm cell movements, as well as proper differentiation of mesoderm cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Angelike Stathopoulos
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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27
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Schott B, Traub M, Schlagenhauf C, Takamiya M, Antritter T, Bartschat A, Löffler K, Blessing D, Otte JC, Kobitski AY, Nienhaus GU, Strähle U, Mikut R, Stegmaier J. EmbryoMiner: A new framework for interactive knowledge discovery in large-scale cell tracking data of developing embryos. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006128. [PMID: 29672531 PMCID: PMC5929571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
State-of-the-art light-sheet and confocal microscopes allow recording of entire embryos in 3D and over time (3D+t) for many hours. Fluorescently labeled structures can be segmented and tracked automatically in these terabyte-scale 3D+t images, resulting in thousands of cell migration trajectories that provide detailed insights to large-scale tissue reorganization at the cellular level. Here we present EmbryoMiner, a new interactive open-source framework suitable for in-depth analyses and comparisons of entire embryos, including an extensive set of trajectory features. Starting at the whole-embryo level, the framework can be used to iteratively focus on a region of interest within the embryo, to investigate and test specific trajectory-based hypotheses and to extract quantitative features from the isolated trajectories. Thus, the new framework provides a valuable new way to quantitatively compare corresponding anatomical regions in different embryos that were manually selected based on biological prior knowledge. As a proof of concept, we analyzed 3D+t light-sheet microscopy images of zebrafish embryos, showcasing potential user applications that can be performed using the new framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Schott
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- * E-mail: (BS); (JS)
| | - Manuel Traub
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Cornelia Schlagenhauf
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Masanari Takamiya
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thomas Antritter
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andreas Bartschat
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Katharina Löffler
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Denis Blessing
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jens C. Otte
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andrei Y. Kobitski
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - G. Ulrich Nienhaus
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Uwe Strähle
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Ralf Mikut
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Johannes Stegmaier
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Imaging and Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- * E-mail: (BS); (JS)
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28
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Svensson CM, Medyukhina A, Belyaev I, Al-Zaben N, Figge MT. Untangling cell tracks: Quantifying cell migration by time lapse image data analysis. Cytometry A 2017; 93:357-370. [DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Magnus Svensson
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI); Jena Germany
| | - Anna Medyukhina
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI); Jena Germany
| | - Ivan Belyaev
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI); Jena Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University; Jena Germany
| | - Naim Al-Zaben
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI); Jena Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University; Jena Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI); Jena Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University; Jena Germany
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29
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Gibbs HC, Chang-Gonzalez A, Hwang W, Yeh AT, Lekven AC. Midbrain-Hindbrain Boundary Morphogenesis: At the Intersection of Wnt and Fgf Signaling. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:64. [PMID: 28824384 PMCID: PMC5541008 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A constriction in the neural tube at the junction of the midbrain and hindbrain is a conserved feature of vertebrate embryos. The constriction is a defining feature of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB), a signaling center that patterns the adjacent midbrain and rostral hindbrain and forms at the junction of two gene expression domains in the early neural plate: an anterior otx2/wnt1 positive domain and a posterior gbx/fgf8 positive domain. otx2 and gbx genes encode mutually repressive transcription factors that create a lineage restriction boundary at their expression interface. Wnt and Fgf genes form a mutually dependent feedback system that maintains their expression domains on the otx2 or gbx side of the boundary, respectively. Constriction morphogenesis occurs after these conserved gene expression domains are established and while their mutual interactions maintain their expression pattern; consequently, mutant studies in zebrafish have led to the suggestion that constriction morphogenesis should be considered a unique phase of MHB development. We analyzed MHB morphogenesis in fgf8 loss of function zebrafish embryos using a reporter driven by the conserved wnt1 enhancer to visualize anterior boundary cells. We found that fgf8 loss of function results in a re-activation of wnt1 reporter expression posterior to the boundary simultaneous with an inactivation of the wnt1 reporter in the anterior boundary cells, and that these events correlate with relaxation of the boundary constriction. In consideration of other results that correlate the boundary constriction with Wnt and Fgf expression, we propose that the maintenance of an active Wnt-Fgf feedback loop is a key factor in driving the morphogenesis of the MHB constriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly C Gibbs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States
| | - Ana Chang-Gonzalez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States
| | - Wonmuk Hwang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States.,School of Computational Sciences, Korea Institute for Advanced StudySeoul, South Korea
| | - Alvin T Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States
| | - Arne C Lekven
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, United States
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30
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Sharma P, Ng C, Jana A, Padhi A, Szymanski P, Lee JSH, Behkam B, Nain AS. Aligned fibers direct collective cell migration to engineer closing and nonclosing wound gaps. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:2579-2588. [PMID: 28747440 PMCID: PMC5597329 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e17-05-0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell emergence onto damaged or organized fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) is a crucial precursor to collective cell migration in wound closure and cancer metastasis, respectively. However, there is a fundamental gap in our quantitative understanding of the role of local ECM size and arrangement in cell emergence-based migration and local gap closure. Here, using ECM-mimicking nanofibers bridging cell monolayers, we describe a method to recapitulate and quantitatively describe these in vivo behaviors over multispatial (single cell to cell sheets) and temporal (minutes to weeks) scales. On fiber arrays with large interfiber spacing, cells emerge (invade) either singularly by breaking cell-cell junctions analogous to release of a stretched rubber band (recoil), or in groups of few cells (chains), whereas on closely spaced fibers, multiple chains emerge collectively. Advancing cells on fibers form cell streams, which support suspended cell sheets (SCS) of various sizes and curvatures. SCS converge to form local gaps that close based on both the gap size and shape. We document that cell stream spacing of 375 µm and larger hinders SCS advancement, thus providing abilities to engineer closing and nonclosing gaps. Altogether we highlight the importance of studying cell-fiber interactions and matrix structural remodeling in fundamental and translational cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja Sharma
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Colin Ng
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Aniket Jana
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Abinash Padhi
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Paige Szymanski
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Jerry S H Lee
- Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.,Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Bahareh Behkam
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061.,Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Amrinder S Nain
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 .,Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
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31
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Azuma Y, Onami S. Biologically constrained optimization based cell membrane segmentation in C. elegans embryos. BMC Bioinformatics 2017. [PMID: 28629355 PMCID: PMC5477254 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-017-1717-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in bioimaging and automated analysis methods have enabled the large-scale systematic analysis of cellular dynamics during the embryonic development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Most of these analyses have focused on cell lineage tracing rather than cell shape dynamics. Cell shape analysis requires cell membrane segmentation, which is challenging because of insufficient resolution and image quality. This problem is currently solved by complicated segmentation methods requiring laborious and time consuming parameter adjustments. RESULTS Our new framework BCOMS (Biologically Constrained Optimization based cell Membrane Segmentation) automates the extraction of the cell shape of C. elegans embryos. Both the segmentation and evaluation processes are automated. To automate the evaluation, we solve an optimization problem under biological constraints. The performance of BCOMS was validated against a manually created ground truth of the 24-cell stage embryo. The average deviation of 25 cell shape features was 5.6%. The deviation was mainly caused by membranes parallel to the focal planes, which either contact the surfaces of adjacent cells or make no contact with other cells. Because segmentation of these membranes was difficult even by manual inspection, the automated segmentation was sufficiently accurate for cell shape analysis. As the number of manually created ground truths is necessarily limited, we compared the segmentation results between two adjacent time points. Across all cells and all cell cycles, the average deviation of the 25 cell shape features was 4.3%, smaller than that between the automated segmentation result and ground truth. CONCLUSIONS BCOMS automated the accurate extraction of cell shapes in developing C. elegans embryos. By replacing image processing parameters with easily adjustable biological constraints, BCOMS provides a user-friendly framework. The framework is also applicable to other model organisms. Creating the biological constraints is a critical step requiring collaboration between an experimentalist and a software developer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Azuma
- Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Shuichi Onami
- Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.
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32
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Farrell DL, Weitz O, Magnasco MO, Zallen JA. SEGGA: a toolset for rapid automated analysis of epithelial cell polarity and dynamics. Development 2017; 144:1725-1734. [PMID: 28465336 PMCID: PMC5450846 DOI: 10.1242/dev.146837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial remodeling determines the structure of many organs in the body through changes in cell shape, polarity and behavior and is a major area of study in developmental biology. Accurate and high-throughput methods are necessary to systematically analyze epithelial organization and dynamics at single-cell resolution. We developed SEGGA, an easy-to-use software for automated image segmentation, cell tracking and quantitative analysis of cell shape, polarity and behavior in epithelial tissues. SEGGA is free, open source, and provides a full suite of tools that allow users with no prior computational expertise to independently perform all steps of automated image segmentation, semi-automated user-guided error correction, and data analysis. Here we use SEGGA to analyze changes in cell shape, cell interactions and planar polarity during convergent extension in the Drosophila embryo. These studies demonstrate that planar polarity is rapidly established in a spatiotemporally regulated pattern that is dynamically remodeled in response to changes in cell orientation. These findings reveal an unexpected plasticity that maintains coordinated planar polarity in actively moving populations through the continual realignment of cell polarity with the tissue axes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dene L Farrell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ori Weitz
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Marcelo O Magnasco
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jennifer A Zallen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
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33
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Quantitative 3D analysis of complex single border cell behaviors in coordinated collective cell migration. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14905. [PMID: 28374738 PMCID: PMC5382290 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of collective cell migration is crucial for cancer metastasis, wound healing and many developmental processes. Imaging a migrating cluster in vivo is feasible, but the quantification of individual cell behaviours remains challenging. We have developed an image analysis toolkit, CCMToolKit, to quantify the Drosophila border cell system. In addition to chaotic motion, previous studies reported that the migrating cells are able to migrate in a highly coordinated pattern. We quantify the rotating and running migration modes in 3D while also observing a range of intermediate behaviours. Running mode is driven by cluster external protrusions. Rotating mode is associated with cluster internal cell extensions that could not be easily characterized. Although the cluster moves slower while rotating, individual cells retain their mobility and are in fact slightly more active than in running mode. We also show that individual cells may exchange positions during migration.
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34
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Zhang Z, Lim YW, Zhao P, Kanchanawong P, Motegi F. ImaEdge: a platform for the quantitative analysis of cortical proteins spatiotemporal dynamics during cell polarization. J Cell Sci 2017; 130:4200-4212. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.206870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity involves the compartmentalization of the cell cortex. The establishment of cortical compartments arises from the spatial bias in the activity and concentration of cortical proteins. The mechanistic dissection of cell polarity requires the accurate detection of dynamic changes in cortical proteins, but the fluctuations of cell shape and the inhomogeneous distributions of cortical proteins greatly complicate the quantitative extraction of their global and local changes during cell polarization. To address these problems, we introduce an open-source software package, ImaEdge, which automates the segmentation of the cortex from time-lapse movies, and enables quantitative extraction of cortical protein intensities. We demonstrate that ImaEdge enables efficient and rigorous analysis of the dynamic evolution of cortical PAR proteins during C. elegans embryogenesis. It is also capable of accurate tracking of varying levels of transgene expression and discontinuous signals of the actomyosin cytoskeleton during multiple rounds of cell division. ImaEdge provides a unique resource for the quantitative studies of cortical polarization, with the potential for application to many types of polarized cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yen Wei Lim
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peng Zhao
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pakorn Kanchanawong
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fumio Motegi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Temasek Life-sciences Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Urbansky S, González Avalos P, Wosch M, Lemke S. Folded gastrulation and T48 drive the evolution of coordinated mesoderm internalization in flies. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27685537 PMCID: PMC5042651 DOI: 10.7554/elife.18318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrulation constitutes a fundamental yet diverse morphogenetic process of metazoan development. Modes of gastrulation range from stochastic translocation of individual cells to coordinated infolding of an epithelial sheet. How such morphogenetic differences are genetically encoded and whether they have provided specific developmental advantages is unclear. Here we identify two genes, folded gastrulation and t48, which in the evolution of fly gastrulation acted as a likely switch from an ingression of individual cells to the invagination of the blastoderm epithelium. Both genes are expressed and required for mesoderm invagination in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster but do not appear during mesoderm ingression of the midge Chironomus riparius. We demonstrate that early expression of either or both of these genes in C.riparius is sufficient to invoke mesoderm invagination similar to D.melanogaster. The possible genetic simplicity and a measurable increase in developmental robustness might explain repeated evolution of similar transitions in animal gastrulation. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18318.001 In animals, gastrulation is a period of time in early development during which a sphere of cells is reorganized into an embryo with cells arranged into three distinct layers (called germ layers). The process has changed substantially during the course of evolution and thus provides a great experimental system to investigate the genetic basis for differences in animal form and shape. As an example, true flies use at least two different mechanisms to make the middle germ layer (the mesoderm). In both cases, the mesoderm is made up of cells that move inwards from the boundary of the outer germ layer. In midges and some other flies, these cells migrate individually, while in others including fruit flies, the cells move together as a sheet. Fruit flies and midges shared their last common ancestor 250 million years ago and although the genes that make the mesoderm in fruit flies are well understood, little is known about how the mesoderm forms in midges. Urbansky, González Avalos et al. investigated which genes were responsible for the evolutionary transition between the different types of cell migration seen in flies. The experiments identified two genes – called folded gastrulation and t48 – that seem to operate as a simple switch between the two ways that mesoderm cells migrate. Both of these genes are active in fruit fly embryos and are required for the group migration of mesoderm cells. However, the genes do not appear to play a major role in the movement of individual mesoderm cells in midges. Further experiments demonstrate that switching on these genes in midge embryos is sufficient to invoke group mesoderm cell migrations similar to those seen in fruit flies. These findings show that it is possible to identify genetic changes that underlie substantial differences in animal form and shape over hundred million of years. The ease by which Urbansky, González Avalos et al. were able to switch between the two types of mesoderm migration might explain why similar transitions in gastrulation have evolved repeatedly in animals. The next step is to test this hypothesis in other animals. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18318.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Urbansky
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paula González Avalos
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maike Wosch
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steffen Lemke
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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36
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Coordination of Cellular Dynamics Contributes to Tooth Epithelium Deformations. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161336. [PMID: 27588418 PMCID: PMC5010284 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The morphologies of ectodermal organs are shaped by appropriate combinations of several deformation modes, such as invagination and anisotropic tissue elongation. However, how multicellular dynamics are coordinated during deformation processes remains to be elucidated. Here, we developed a four-dimensional (4D) analysis system for tracking cell movement and division at a single-cell resolution in developing tooth epithelium. The expression patterns of a Fucci probe clarified the region- and stage-specific cell cycle patterns within the tooth germ, which were in good agreement with the pattern of the volume growth rate estimated from tissue-level deformation analysis. Cellular motility was higher in the regions with higher growth rates, while the mitotic orientation was significantly biased along the direction of tissue elongation in the epithelium. Further, these spatio-temporal patterns of cellular dynamics and tissue-level deformation were highly correlated with that of the activity of cofilin, which is an actin depolymerization factor, suggesting that the coordination of cellular dynamics via actin remodeling plays an important role in tooth epithelial morphogenesis. Our system enhances the understanding of how cellular behaviors are coordinated during ectodermal organogenesis, which cannot be observed from histological analyses.
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37
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Guglielmi G, Barry JD, Huber W, De Renzis S. An Optogenetic Method to Modulate Cell Contractility during Tissue Morphogenesis. Dev Cell 2016; 35:646-660. [PMID: 26777292 PMCID: PMC4683098 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Morphogenesis of multicellular organisms is driven by localized cell shape changes. How, and to what extent, changes in behavior in single cells or groups of cells influence neighboring cells and large-scale tissue remodeling remains an open question. Indeed, our understanding of multicellular dynamics is limited by the lack of methods allowing the modulation of cell behavior with high spatiotemporal precision. Here, we developed an optogenetic approach to achieve local modulation of cell contractility and used it to control morphogenetic movements during Drosophila embryogenesis. We show that local inhibition of apical constriction is sufficient to cause a global arrest of mesoderm invagination. By varying the spatial pattern of inhibition during invagination, we further demonstrate that coordinated contractile behavior responds to local tissue geometrical constraints. Together, these results show the efficacy of this optogenetic approach to dissect the interplay between cell-cell interaction, force transmission, and tissue geometry during complex morphogenetic processes. Optogenetics provides a powerful approach to control tissue morphogenesis Two-photon illumination allows precise patterns of optogenetic activation Local modulation of cell contractility reveals mechanisms of tissue invagination Tissue geometry constrains the cell contractile behavior driving invagination
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph D Barry
- EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Huber
- EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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38
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Levario TJ, Lim B, Shvartsman SY, Lu H. Microfluidics for High-Throughput Quantitative Studies of Early Development. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2016; 18:285-309. [PMID: 26928208 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-100515-013926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Developmental biology has traditionally relied on qualitative analyses; recently, however, as in other fields of biology, researchers have become increasingly interested in acquiring quantitative knowledge about embryogenesis. Advances in fluorescence microscopy are enabling high-content imaging in live specimens. At the same time, microfluidics and automation technologies are increasing experimental throughput for studies of multicellular models of development. Furthermore, computer vision methods for processing and analyzing bioimage data are now leading the way toward quantitative biology. Here, we review advances in the areas of fluorescence microscopy, microfluidics, and data analysis that are instrumental to performing high-content, high-throughput studies in biology and specifically in development. We discuss a case study of how these techniques have allowed quantitative analysis and modeling of pattern formation in the Drosophila embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Levario
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332;
| | - Bomyi Lim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
| | - Hang Lu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332;
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39
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Levario TJ, Zhao C, Rouse T, Shvartsman SY, Lu H. An integrated platform for large-scale data collection and precise perturbation of live Drosophila embryos. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21366. [PMID: 26864815 PMCID: PMC4750044 DOI: 10.1038/srep21366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the fundamental principles governing embryogenesis is a key goal of developmental biology. Direct observation of embryogenesis via in vivo live imaging is vital to understanding embryogenesis; yet, tedious sample preparation makes it difficult to acquire large-scale imaging data that is often required to overcome experimental and biological noises for quantitative studies. Furthermore, it is often difficult, and sometimes impossible, to incorporate environmental perturbation for understanding developmental responses to external stimuli. To address this issue, we have developed a method for high-throughput imaging of live embryos, delivering precise environmental perturbations, and unbiased data extraction. This platform includes an optimized microfluidic device specifically for live embryos and also for precise perturbations in the microenvironment of the developing embryos. In addition, we developed software for simple, yet accurate, automated segmentation of fluorescent images, and automated data extraction. Using a quantitative assessment we find that embryos develop normally within the microfluidic device. Finally, we show an application of the high-throughput assay for monitoring developmental responses to external stimuli: anoxia-induced developmental arrest in Drosophila embryos. With slight modifications, the method developed in this work can be applied to many other models of development and other stimulus-response behaviors during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Levario
- School of Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA 30332
| | - Charles Zhao
- Walter H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA 30332
| | - Tel Rouse
- School of Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA 30332
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA 08544
| | - Hang Lu
- School of Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA 30332.,Walter H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA 30332
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40
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Kappe CP, Schütz L, Gunther S, Hufnagel L, Lemke S, Leitte H. Reconstruction and Visualization of Coordinated 3D Cell Migration Based on Optical Flow. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS 2016; 22:995-1004. [PMID: 26529743 DOI: 10.1109/tvcg.2015.2467291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Animal development is marked by the repeated reorganization of cells and cell populations, which ultimately determine form and shape of the growing organism. One of the central questions in developmental biology is to understand precisely how cells reorganize, as well as how and to what extent this reorganization is coordinated. While modern microscopes can record video data for every cell during animal development in 3D+t, analyzing these videos remains a major challenge: reconstruction of comprehensive cell tracks turned out to be very demanding especially with decreasing data quality and increasing cell densities. In this paper, we present an analysis pipeline for coordinated cellular motions in developing embryos based on the optical flow of a series of 3D images. We use numerical integration to reconstruct cellular long-term motions in the optical flow of the video, we take care of data validation, and we derive a LIC-based, dense flow visualization for the resulting pathlines. This approach allows us to handle low video quality such as noisy data or poorly separated cells, and it allows the biologists to get a comprehensive understanding of their data by capturing dynamic growth processes in stills. We validate our methods using three videos of growing fruit fly embryos.
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41
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Brüser L, Bogdan S. Molecular Control of Actin Dynamics In Vivo: Insights from Drosophila. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2016; 235:285-310. [PMID: 27757759 DOI: 10.1007/164_2016_33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The actin cytoskeleton provides mechanical support for cells and generates forces to drive cell shape changes and cell migration in morphogenesis. Molecular understanding of actin dynamics requires a genetically traceable model system that allows interdisciplinary experimental approaches to elucidate the regulatory network of cytoskeletal proteins in vivo. Here, we will discuss some examples of how advances in Drosophila genetics and high-resolution imaging techniques contribute to the discovery of new actin functions, signaling pathways, and mechanisms of actin regulation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Brüser
- Institute for Neurobiology, University of Muenster, Badestrasse 9, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Sven Bogdan
- Institute for Neurobiology, University of Muenster, Badestrasse 9, 48149, Muenster, Germany.
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42
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Amat F, Höckendorf B, Wan Y, Lemon WC, McDole K, Keller PJ. Efficient processing and analysis of large-scale light-sheet microscopy data. Nat Protoc 2015; 10:1679-96. [PMID: 26426501 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2015.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Light-sheet microscopy is a powerful method for imaging the development and function of complex biological systems at high spatiotemporal resolution and over long time scales. Such experiments typically generate terabytes of multidimensional image data, and thus they demand efficient computational solutions for data management, processing and analysis. We present protocols and software to tackle these steps, focusing on the imaging-based study of animal development. Our protocols facilitate (i) high-speed lossless data compression and content-based multiview image fusion optimized for multicore CPU architectures, reducing image data size 30-500-fold; (ii) automated large-scale cell tracking and segmentation; and (iii) visualization, editing and annotation of multiterabyte image data and cell-lineage reconstructions with tens of millions of data points. These software modules are open source. They provide high data throughput using a single computer workstation and are readily applicable to a wide spectrum of biological model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Amat
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Burkhard Höckendorf
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Yinan Wan
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - William C Lemon
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Katie McDole
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Philipp J Keller
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
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43
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Du Z, Santella A, He F, Shah PK, Kamikawa Y, Bao Z. The Regulatory Landscape of Lineage Differentiation in a Metazoan Embryo. Dev Cell 2015; 34:592-607. [PMID: 26321128 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Elucidating the mechanism of cell lineage differentiation is critical for our understanding of development and fate manipulation. Here we combined systematic perturbation and direct lineaging to map the regulatory landscape of lineage differentiation in early C. elegans embryogenesis. High-dimensional phenotypic analysis of 204 essential genes in 1,368 embryos revealed that cell lineage differentiation follows a canalized landscape with barriers shaped by lineage distance and genetic robustness. We assigned function to 201 genes in regulating lineage differentiation, including 175 switches of binary fate choices. We generated a multiscale model that connects gene networks and cells to the experimentally mapped landscape. Simulations showed that the landscape topology determines the propensity of differentiation and regulatory complexity. Furthermore, the model allowed us to identify the chromatin assembly complex CAF-1 as a context-specific repressor of Notch signaling. Our study presents a systematic survey of the regulatory landscape of lineage differentiation of a metazoan embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Du
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Anthony Santella
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Fei He
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Pavak K Shah
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yuko Kamikawa
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zhirong Bao
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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44
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Swinburne IA, Mosaliganti KR, Green AA, Megason SG. Improved Long-Term Imaging of Embryos with Genetically Encoded α-Bungarotoxin. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134005. [PMID: 26244658 PMCID: PMC4526548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid advances in microscopy and genetic labeling strategies have created new opportunities for time-lapse imaging of embryonic development. However, methods for immobilizing embryos for long periods while maintaining normal development have changed little. In zebrafish, current immobilization techniques rely on the anesthetic tricaine. Unfortunately, prolonged tricaine treatment at concentrations high enough to immobilize the embryo produces undesirable side effects on development. We evaluate three alternative immobilization strategies: combinatorial soaking in tricaine and isoeugenol, injection of α-bungarotoxin protein, and injection of α-bungarotoxin mRNA. We find evidence for co-operation between tricaine and isoeugenol to give immobility with improved health. However, even in combination these anesthetics negatively affect long-term development. α-bungarotoxin is a small protein from snake venom that irreversibly binds and inactivates acetylcholine receptors. We find that α-bungarotoxin either as purified protein from snakes or endogenously expressed in zebrafish from a codon-optimized synthetic gene can immobilize embryos for extended periods of time with few health effects or developmental delays. Using α-bungarotoxin mRNA injection we obtain complete movies of zebrafish embryogenesis from the 1-cell stage to 3 days post fertilization, with normal health and no twitching. These results demonstrate that endogenously expressed α-bungarotoxin provides unprecedented immobility and health for time-lapse microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A. Swinburne
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kishore R. Mosaliganti
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Amelia A. Green
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sean G. Megason
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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45
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Collins C, Nelson WJ. Running with neighbors: coordinating cell migration and cell-cell adhesion. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2015. [PMID: 26201843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2015.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Coordinated movement of large groups of cells is required for many biological processes, such as gastrulation and wound healing. During collective cell migration, cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesions must be integrated so that cells maintain strong interactions with neighboring cells and the underlying substratum. Initiation and maintenance of cadherin adhesions at cell-cell junctions and integrin-based cell-ECM adhesions require integration of mechanical cues, dynamic regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, and input from specific signaling cascades, including Rho family GTPases. Here, we summarize recent advances made in understanding the interplay between these pathways at cadherin-based and integrin-based adhesions during collective cell migration and highlight outstanding questions that remain in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Collins
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - W James Nelson
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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46
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Pocha SM, Montell DJ. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of single and collective cell migrations in Drosophila: themes and variations. Annu Rev Genet 2015; 48:295-318. [PMID: 25421599 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-120213-092218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The process of cell migration is essential throughout life, driving embryonic morphogenesis and ensuring homeostasis in adults. Defects in cell migration are a major cause of human disease, with excessive migration causing autoimmune diseases and cancer metastasis, whereas reduced capacity for migration leads to birth defects and immunodeficiencies. Myriad studies in vitro have established a consensus view that cell migrations require cell polarization, Rho GTPase-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangements, and myosin-mediated contractility. However, in vivo studies later revealed a more complex picture, including the discovery that cells migrate not only as single units but also as clusters, strands, and sheets. In particular, the role of E-Cadherin in cell motility appears to be more complex than previously appreciated. Here, we discuss recent advances achieved by combining the plethora of genetic tools available to the Drosophila geneticist with live imaging and biophysical techniques. Finally, we discuss the emerging themes such studies have revealed and ponder the puzzles that remain to be solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin M Pocha
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California; 93106-9625; ,
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47
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Tlili S, Gay C, Graner F, Marcq P, Molino F, Saramito P. Colloquium: Mechanical formalisms for tissue dynamics. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2015; 38:121. [PMID: 25957180 DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2015-15033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of morphogenesis in living organisms has been renewed by tremendous progress in experimental techniques that provide access to cell scale, quantitative information both on the shapes of cells within tissues and on the genes being expressed. This information suggests that our understanding of the respective contributions of gene expression and mechanics, and of their crucial entanglement, will soon leap forward. Biomechanics increasingly benefits from models, which assist the design and interpretation of experiments, point out the main ingredients and assumptions, and ultimately lead to predictions. The newly accessible local information thus calls for a reflection on how to select suitable classes of mechanical models. We review both mechanical ingredients suggested by the current knowledge of tissue behaviour, and modelling methods that can help generate a rheological diagram or a constitutive equation. We distinguish cell scale ("intra-cell") and tissue scale ("inter-cell") contributions. We recall the mathematical framework developed for continuum materials and explain how to transform a constitutive equation into a set of partial differential equations amenable to numerical resolution. We show that when plastic behaviour is relevant, the dissipation function formalism appears appropriate to generate constitutive equations; its variational nature facilitates numerical implementation, and we discuss adaptations needed in the case of large deformations. The present article gathers theoretical methods that can readily enhance the significance of the data to be extracted from recent or future high throughput biomechanical experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sham Tlili
- Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, Université Denis Diderot - Paris 7, CNRS UMR 7057, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, F-75205, Paris Cedex 13, France
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48
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Li Y, Trivedi V, Truong TV, Koos DS, Lansford R, Chuong CM, Warburton D, Moats RA, Fraser SE. Dynamic imaging of the growth plate cartilage reveals multiple contributors to skeletal morphogenesis. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6798. [PMID: 25865282 PMCID: PMC4403347 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The diverse morphology of vertebrate skeletal system is genetically controlled, yet the means by which cells shape the skeleton remains to be fully illuminated. Here we perform quantitative analyses of cell behaviours in the growth plate cartilage, the template for long bone formation, to gain insights into this process. Using a robust avian embryonic organ culture, we employ time-lapse two-photon laser scanning microscopy to observe proliferative cells' behaviours during cartilage growth, resulting in cellular trajectories with a spreading displacement mainly along the tissue elongation axis. We build a novel software toolkit of quantitative methods to segregate the contributions of various cellular processes to the cellular trajectories. We find that convergent-extension, mitotic cell division, and daughter cell rearrangement do not contribute significantly to the observed growth process; instead, extracellular matrix deposition and cell volume enlargement are the key contributors to embryonic cartilage elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Li
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.,Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.,Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thai V Truong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.,Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David S Koos
- Department of Radiology, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA
| | - Rusty Lansford
- Department of Radiology, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA
| | - Cheng-Ming Chuong
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David Warburton
- Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA
| | - Rex A Moats
- Department of Radiology, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA
| | - Scott E Fraser
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.,Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program, Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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49
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Xiong F, Ma W, Hiscock TW, Mosaliganti KR, Tentner AR, Brakke KA, Rannou N, Gelas A, Souhait L, Swinburne IA, Obholzer ND, Megason SG. Interplay of cell shape and division orientation promotes robust morphogenesis of developing epithelia. Cell 2015; 159:415-27. [PMID: 25303534 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial cells acquire functionally important shapes (e.g., squamous, cuboidal, columnar) during development. Here, we combine theory, quantitative imaging, and perturbations to analyze how tissue geometry, cell divisions, and mechanics interact to shape the presumptive enveloping layer (pre-EVL) on the zebrafish embryonic surface. We find that, under geometrical constraints, pre-EVL flattening is regulated by surface cell number changes following differentially oriented cell divisions. The division pattern is, in turn, determined by the cell shape distribution, which forms under geometrical constraints by cell-cell mechanical coupling. An integrated mathematical model of this shape-division feedback loop recapitulates empirical observations. Surprisingly, the model predicts that cell shape is robust to changes of tissue surface area, cell volume, and cell number, which we confirm in vivo. Further simulations and perturbations suggest the parameter linking cell shape and division orientation contributes to epithelial diversity. Together, our work identifies an evolvable design logic that enables robust cell-level regulation of tissue-level development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengzhu Xiong
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wenzhe Ma
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tom W Hiscock
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Andrea R Tentner
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kenneth A Brakke
- Mathematics Department, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
| | - Nicolas Rannou
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Arnaud Gelas
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lydie Souhait
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ian A Swinburne
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nikolaus D Obholzer
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sean G Megason
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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50
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Zhang T, Yin C, Qiao L, Jing L, Li H, Xiao C, Luo N, Lei S, Meng W, Zhu H, Liu J, Xu H, Mo X. Stat3-Efemp2a modulates the fibrillar matrix for cohesive movement of prechordal plate progenitors. Development 2015; 141:4332-42. [PMID: 25371367 DOI: 10.1242/dev.104885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Recently, emerging evidence has shown that Stat3 controls tumor cell migration and invasion. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Stat3 controls the cell movement remain largely unknown. Embryonic gastrula progenitors display coordinated and orientated migration, called collective cell migration. Collective cell migration is the simultaneous movement of multiple cells and is universally involved in physiological and pathological programs. Stat3 activity is required for the migration of gastrula progenitors, but it does not affect cell specification, thus suggesting that gastrula movements are an excellent model to provide insight into Stat3 control of cell migration in vivo. In this study, we reveal a novel mechanism by which Stat3 modulates extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly to control the coherence of collective migration of prechordal plate progenitors during zebrafish embryonic gastrulation. We show that Stat3 regulates the expression of Efemp2a in the prechordal plate progenitors that migrate anteriorly during gastrulation. Alteration of Stat3-Efemp2a signaling activity disrupted the configuration of fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LM) matrices, resulting in defective coherence of prechordal plate progenitor movements in zebrafish embryos. We demonstrate that Efemp2a acts as a downstream effector of Stat3 to promote ECM configuration for coherent collective cell migrations in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chaoran Yin
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Liangjun Qiao
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lulu Jing
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongda Li
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chun Xiao
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ning Luo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Song Lei
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wentong Meng
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongyan Zhu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hong Xu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xianming Mo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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