IPLS Seminar - Dr. Madhav Mani (Northwestern University)

Title: Mechanical feedback driven epithelial remodeling

Abstract: Our quantitative analysis of germ band extension in the early Drosophila embryo motivates exploring the consequence of mechanical feedback at cell-cell junction in the remodeling epithelia. In particular, we will present consequences of myosin bistability driven by junctional tension-dependent recruitment, and junctional shear stress dependent enhancement of cadherin detachment. Together the two effects support the spontaneous emergence of stress cables, as well as a secondary instability responsible for the formation of four-fold vertices and their resolution through rosette-like structures. We comment on the potential generality of the mechanism and phenomena investigated, and on experiments that are motivated by our quantitative analysis and modeling of the extending germ band.