Researchers find physical forces help guide cell movement in early development
Research Highlights
A study led by Associate Professor Dr. Sevan Hopyan in the Department of Molecular Genetics offers a new way to understand how cells move during early mammalian development.
The research focuses on neural crest cells, a group of embryonic cells that later form parts of the face, skeleton, and nervous system. Early in development, these cells must leave an organized layer of tissue and move inward into the embryo. This step is essential for normal development, but it has been unclear how groups of cells coordinate this movement.
Most previous research has focused on genetic and molecular signals that guide cell behaviour. In this study, the researchers examined whether the physical properties of tissues themselves could also play a role.
The findings, which were published recently in PNAS, show that neural crest cell ingression can arise from basic physical principles. Changes in how tightly cells adhere to one another and how the surrounding tissue responds were sufficient to trigger movement, without the need for a single directional signal.
Using live imaging and measurements of tissue mechanics, the researchers observed that cells reorganize to reduce overall physical stress. As the tissue shifts, movement emerges naturally.
The work provides a new framework for understanding how complex developmental processes remain coordinated as embryos grow. It also suggests that physical forces may play a broader role in shaping tissues during development than previously recognized.
