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Long-Range Mechanical Force Enables Self-Assembly of Epithelial Tubules

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Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials, Volume 5

Abstract

Spatiotemporal coordination of cell positioning and differentiation is critical in morphogenesis. Loss of coordination is often a hallmark of tissue abnormality and tumorigenesis. Recent studies indicate the importance of mechanical force in morphogenesis such as tubular pattern formation. However, how cells coordinate mechanical interactions between each other and with extracellular matrix (ECM), to initiate, regulate, or maintain long-range tubular patterns is unclear. Using a two-step process to quantitatively control cell-ECM interaction, we find that epithelial cells, in response to a fine-tuned percentage of type I collagen (COL) in ECM, develop various patterns resembling those observed in tubulo-lobular organs. In contrast with conventional thought, these patterns arise through mechanical interactions between cells, but not through gradients of diffusible biochemical factors. Remarkably, a very large spatial scale of tubular patterns is found by cell-COL self-organization in the liquid phase, leading to the formation of long-range (~1 cm) epithelial tubule. Our results suggest a potential mechanism cells can use to form and coordinate long-range tubular patterns, independent of those controlled by diffusible biochemical factors, and provide a new strategy to engineer/regenerate tubular organs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Chin-Lin Guo, Mingxing Ouyang & Jiun-Yann Yu

Authors
  1. Chin-Lin Guo
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  2. Mingxing Ouyang
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  3. Jiun-Yann Yu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chin-Lin Guo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Auburn University, Alabama, Auburn, 36849-5341, USA

    Barton C. Prorok

  2. McGill University, Montreal, H4B 2R3, Canada

    François Barthelat

  3. State University of New York, State University of New York, Stony Brook, 11794, USA

    Chad S. Korach

  4. Rice University, Houston, 77251-1892, USA

    K. Jane Grande-Allen

  5. Auburn University, Auburn, 36849-5127, USA

    Elizabeth Lipke

  6. University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269-3088, USA

    George Lykofatitits

  7. Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47907-2051, USA

    Pablo Zavattieri

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© 2013 The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc.

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Guo, CL., Ouyang, M., Yu, JY. (2013). Long-Range Mechanical Force Enables Self-Assembly of Epithelial Tubules. In: Prorok, B., et al. Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials, Volume 5. Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4427-5_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4427-5_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4426-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4427-5

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