Âé¶¹ÒùÔº


Understanding the mechanisms of embryonic cell behavior

Understanding the mechanisms of embryonic cell behavior
The experimental image shows two proteins—myosin (cyan) and actin (red)—in a chick embryo during gastrulation, highlighting the main body axes and the dominant force-generating regions (cyan). Credit: Guillermo Serrano Najera

During embryonic development, thousands of cells divide and move collectively to sculpt the main body axes. Understanding the mechanisms that coordinate this collective behavior remains a significant challenge in biology and the physics of living systems, but a better understanding could have implications in health and science, from medicine to biomaterials.

Now researchers have discovered that avian embryos—established models for studying —control their size and shape using modular, independent physical mechanisms.

Clarifying the modular mechanisms that regulate the emergent embryo geometry (size and shape) helps further our understanding of the evolutionary plasticity of natural embryos and suggests strategies for engineering synthetic ones.

The study, June 4, 2025 in Nature Communications, was led by UC San Diego researchers Alex Plum and Mattia Serra, along with Guillermo Serrano Najera and Ben Steventon (both University of Cambridge) and Kees Weijer (University of Dundee).

"Âé¶¹ÒùÔºical principles offer remarkable insight into how similar cells self-organize into complex, functional forms," said Assistant Professor of Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics Serra.

More information: Guillermo Serrano Nájera et al, Control of tissue flows and embryo geometry in avian gastrulation, Nature Communications (2025).

Journal information: Nature Communications

Citation: Understanding the mechanisms of embryonic cell behavior (2025, June 9) retrieved 30 June 2025 from /news/2025-06-mechanisms-embryonic-cell-behavior.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

A mathematical model connects the evolution of chickens, fish and frogs

0 shares

Feedback to editors