@article {158956, title = {Caenorhabditis elegans germline flux pulls its stem-cell niche cells into shape.}, journal = {J Biosci}, volume = {50}, year = {2025}, month = {2025}, 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 {\textquoteright}hitch-and-tow{\textquoteright} 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.

}, keywords = {Animals, Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Cell Movement, Cell Proliferation, Cell Shape, Germ Cells, Gonads, Morphogenesis, Stem Cell Niche, Stem Cells}, issn = {0973-7138}, author = {Agarwal, Priti} } @article {158957, title = {Outside influences: The impact of extracellular matrix mechanics on cell migration.}, journal = {Curr Top Dev Biol}, volume = {164}, year = {2025}, month = {2025}, pages = {29-65}, abstract = {

"No cell is an island" - highlights the interconnectedness of cellular behavior and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cell migration is inherently contextual, as cells navigate and adapt to their environments, reshaping the ECM while being influenced by its properties. This review focuses on the mechanical characteristics of the ECM-specifically its architecture, porosity, dynamics, and stiffness-and how these attributes affect cell behavior and migration strategies. We discuss how the mechanical properties are modulated by the composition and arrangement of ECM components and the role of enzymatic activities, including crosslinking and matrix metalloproteinases. By presenting examples from vertebrate and invertebrate developmental models, we demonstrate how ECM mechanics dictate cell migration at various biological scales. Additionally, we examine the importance of cell-matrix adhesions in regulating migration speed and direction. While in vitro studies have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms at play, significant questions persist regarding the regulation of cell migration by ECM mechanics in vivo. Ultimately, this synthesis aims to illuminate the complexities of cell-ECM mechanical interactions, pointing the way for future research that may unveil novel insights into how ECM mechanics influences cell migration during development and disease.

}, keywords = {Animals, Biomechanical Phenomena, Cell Adhesion, Cell Movement, Extracellular Matrix, Humans}, issn = {1557-8933}, doi = {10.1016/bs.ctdb.2025.01.003}, author = {Zaidel-Bar, Ronen and Agarwal, Priti} } @article {62760, title = {Self-Driven Phase Transitions Drive Myxococcus xanthus Fruiting Body Formation.}, journal = {Phys Rev Lett}, volume = {122}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 Jun 21}, pages = {248102}, abstract = {

Combining high-resolution single cell tracking experiments with numerical simulations, we show that starvation-induced fruiting body formation in Myxococcus xanthus is a phase separation driven by cells that tune their motility over time. The phase separation can be understood in terms of cell density and a dimensionless P{\'e}clet number that captures cell motility through speed and reversal frequency. Our work suggests that M. xanthus takes advantage of a self-driven nonequilibrium phase transition that can be controlled at the single cell level.

}, keywords = {Cell Movement, Myxococcus xanthus, Phase Transition}, issn = {1079-7114}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.248102}, author = {Liu, Guannan and Patch, Adam and Bahar, Fatmag{\"u}l and Yllanes, David and Welch, Roy D and Marchetti, M Cristina and Thutupalli, Shashi and Shaevitz, Joshua W} }