Patterning and folding of intestinal villi by active mesenchymal dewetting

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• Tyler Huycke (UCSF)
• Monday 24 April 2023, 14:30-15:30
• Online.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Dr. Wolfram Pönisch.

Tissue folding generates structural motifs critical to organ function. In the intestine, bending of an initially flat epithelium into periodically patterned folds gives rise to villi, the numerous finger-like protrusions that are essential for nutrient absorption. However, the molecular and mechanical mechanisms that organize and sculpt these folds remain the subject of debate. Here, we identify an active mechanical mechanism that simultaneously patterns and folds intestinal villi in mice. We find that PDGFRA + subepithelial mesenchymal cells generate Myosin IIA -dependent forces sufficient to pattern and fold neighboring tissue interfaces. At the cell-level, villus initiation occurs through a process dependent upon matrix metalloproteinase-mediated tissue fluidization and altered cell-ECM adhesion. Integration of computational models with in vivo experiments demonstrate that these cellular features manifest at the tissue-level as differences in interfacial tensions that promote mesenchymal aggregation and interface bending through a process analogous to the active dewetting of a thin liquid film.

This talk is part of the Morphogenesis Seminar Series series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Graduate-Seminars
• Morphogenesis Seminar Series
• Online

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