TitleCaenorhabditis elegans germline flux pulls its stem-cell niche cells into shape.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2025
AuthorsAgarwal P
JournalJ Biosci
Volume50
Date Published2025
ISSN0973-7138
KeywordsAnimals, Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Cell Movement, Cell Proliferation, Cell Shape, Germ Cells, Gonads, Morphogenesis, Stem Cell Niche, Stem Cells
Abstract

Morphogenesis is the process by which tissues and organs acquire their unique shapes and functions. Several cellular events, including cell shape changes, cell movement, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and others, act in concert to sculpt an organ. While these cellular behaviors are well-recognized to be essential for morphogenesis, whether organ-scale dynamics influence these cellular processes has remained unresolved. In a recent study published in , Tolkin (2024) investigated the mechanisms underlying the dramatic morphogenesis of the distal tip cell (DTC), a leader cell and germline stem-cell niche in the gonad (Byrd 2014; Lee 2016). They uncovered a novel 'hitch-and-tow' mechanism whereby germline flux drives a complex change in DTC shape. This work sheds light on how mechanical forces at the organ level influence cellular morphogenesis.

Alternate JournalJ Biosci
PubMed ID40619789