epithelial mechanics fan club

Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club - FocalPlane Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club - News

Meet the Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club @epimechfc.bsky.social
Nimesh Chahare @onenimesa.bsky.social and Julia Eckert @juliaeckert.bsky.social introduce us to the Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club.
Learn how you can get involved with this community: focalplane.biologists.com/2025/12/04/e...

Thank you for reading the thread. For more content like this, check out our other threads on our website: epithelialmechanics.github.io

I find it fascinating how molecular signals like FGF, BMP, and SHH affect mechanical patterning. These were the few papers I read, and there are many more.

I liked this review a lot, which focuses on cytoskeletal force patterning across tissues.

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A FGF gradient establishes a contractility gradient, guiding cells from lower to higher tension.

This movement converges toward the strongest FGF source. Coupled with cell contraction, it generates tissue folds.

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Signaling gradient produces emergent tissue deformations.

FGF signaling gradient stimulates collective graded + random cell motion which leads to tissue elongation.

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FGF signaling also induces intracellular Ras-MAPK, stimulating actomyosin contractility and apical constriction, resulting in rosette formations in tissues.

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Local FGF signaling initiates a phosphorylation cascade that activates basal myosin II through the activation of phospholipase Cγ.

This activation leads to apical actin enrichment, which drives morphogenesis.

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What's FGF? Fibroblast growth factors are a family of secreted proteins that regulate cell growth, differentiation & development. Signal through tyrosine kinase receptors.

In case of a local source, it makes a gradient through sink-source mechanism.

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Cytoskeleton shapes tissues during development. What signaling drives these changes?

I'm @onenimesa.bsky.social and let's explore FGF signaling's crucial role with examples.
Trust me, you need to know this!

Are you curious about how @epimechfc.bsky.social started a little over 2 years ago and how it has developed since then?

Do not miss our blog post! Thank you, @focalplane.bsky.social, for reaching out to us and for the opportunity! 👇

Bénazéraf, B., Francois, P., Baker, R. E., Denans, N., Little, C. D., & Pourquié, O. (2010). A random cell motility gradient downstream of FGF controls elongation of an amniote embryo. Nature, 466(7303), 248–252. #EpithelialMechanics
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Clarke, D. N., & Martin, A. C. (2021). Actin-based force generation and cell adhesion in tissue morphogenesis. Current Biology, 31(10), R667–R680. #EpithelialMechanicsReview
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

Harding, M. J., & Nechiporuk, A. V. (2012). Fgfr-Ras-MAPK signaling is required for apical constriction via apical positioning of Rho-associated kinase during mechanosensory organ formation. Development, 139(17), 3130–3135. #EpithelialMechanics
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Nerurkar, N. L., Lee, C., Mahadevan, L., & Tabin, C. J. (2019). Molecular control of macroscopic forces drives formation of the vertebrate hindgut. Nature, 565(7740), 480–484. #EpithelialMechanics
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Sai, X., & Ladher, R. K. (2008). FGF Signaling Regulates Cytoskeletal Remodeling during Epithelial Morphogenesis. Current Biology, 18(13), 976–981. #EpithelialMechanics
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Yu, S. R., Burkhardt, M., Nowak, M., Ries, J., Petrášek, Z., Scholpp, S., Schwille, P., & Brand, M. (2009). Fgf8 morphogen gradient forms by a source-sink mechanism with freely diffusing molecules. Nature, 461(7263), 533–536. #EpithelialMechanics
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About epithelial geometry and cancer
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About positional information
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Qu, L., Zhao, S., Huang, Y., Ye, X., Wang, K., Liu, Y., Liu, X., Mao, H., Hu, G., Chen, W., Guo, C., He, J., ...,Chen, L., & Zhao, W. (2024). Self-inspired learning for denoising live-cell super-resolution microscopy. Nature methods, 21(10), 1895–1908. #EpithelialMechanics
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González-Martín, M., Martínez-Ara, G., Ngo, J. T., Trepat, X., & Roca-Cusachs, P. (2025). Synthetic mechanotransduction. Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 1-14. #EpithelialMechanicsReviews
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Hill, K., Griffing, A. H., Palmer, M. A., Lemma, B., Lupo, A. S., Gamble, T., ... & Nelson, C. M. (2025). Biophysical processes of morphogenesis in lizard lungs. Developmental Dynamics. #EpithelialMechanics
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Zhang, Y., Kini, S. A., Mishkanian, S. A., Yarishkin, O., Luo, R., Seradj, S. H., ... & Patapoutian, A. (2025). PIEZO channels link mechanical forces to uterine contractions in parturition. Science, #EpithelialMechanics
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It’s time to talk about epithelial geometry and cancer. How can the architecture of an epithelium affect how tumors will grow and spread? In this thread, @jorgealmagro.bsky.social

Beautiful pinwheel patterns of cell migration across the corneal surface visualised by mosaic blue XGal stain so the whole thing looks like a delicious minty humbug.

Magnificent fully funded PhD position available with me, Rastko Sknepnek (Dundee) and Silke Henkes (Leiden) on epithelial cell migration. @physicsoflifeuk.bsky.social @bscb-official.bsky.social @epimechfc.bsky.social

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club

Thanks for reading. For more such #EpithelialMechanics threads check out our website: buff.ly/9n88i4y

More generally, we reviewed how epithelial mechanics drive tissue architecture in
physiology, and how this mechanical cues go awry in cancer here: buff.ly/Z3q2wy6

For those interested in how epithelial geometry/architecture affects cancers, from
tumorigenesis to metastatic spread, we reviewed this nascent field here: buff.ly/tCCChoJ

These mechanical consequences of tumour architecture may further impact cancer
cell biology, even at the DNA level. Dysregulated tensions can cause errors in
chromosome segregation, and contribute to genomic instability in an incipient lesion.
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The interfacial geometry of the epithelium has direct mechanical effects on cancer
cells. In regions of higher tension, cancer cells acquire stem cell properties. This was
demonstrated in 3D cultures of multiples shapes using melanoma cells. @kriskilian.bsky.social
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From early stages of skin carcinogenesis, benign basal carcinomas secrete de novo
basement membrane (BM) components and acquire bud shapes. Malignant
squamous carcinomas don’t secrete BM proteins and acquire fold shapes.
@ElaineFuchsLab