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A Chemomechanical Model for Regulation of Contractility in the Embryonic Brain Tube

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Abstract

Morphogenesis is regulated by genetic, biochemical, and biomechanical factors, but the feedback controlling the interactions between these factors remains poorly understood. A previous study has found that compressing the brain tube of the early chick embryo induces changes in contractility and nuclear shape in the neuroepithelial wall. Assuming this response involves mechanical feedback, we used experiments and computational modeling to investigate a hypothetical mechanism behind the observed behavior. First, we measured nuclear circularity in embryonic chick brains subjected to transverse compression. Immediately after loading, the circularity varied regionally and appeared to reflect the local state of stress in the wall. After three hours of culture with sustained compression, however, the nuclei became rounder. Exposure to a gap junction blocker inhibited this response, suggesting that it requires intercellular diffusion of a biochemical signal. We speculate that the signal regulates the contraction that occurs near the lumen, altering stress distributions and nuclear geometry throughout the wall. Simulating compression using a chemomechanical finite-element model based on this idea shows that our hypothesis is consistent with most of the experimental data. This work provides a foundation for future investigations of chemomechanical feedback in epithelia during embryonic development.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is a tribute to Professor Gerhard Holzapfel to mark his 60th birthday. For five years, the second author (LAT) had the honor of serving alongside Professor Holzapfel as a co-Editor-in-Chief of Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, the foremost journal in the burgeoning field of mechanobiology. With Jay Humphrey, Gerhard founded BMMB two decades ago and remains in his position today. It is a remarkable achievement that he can maintain the outstanding quality of the journal for so long while continuing to teach and run a vigorous research program at the same time. He truly has earned my utmost respect. We thank the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science at Washington University for use of the confocal microscope. This research was supported by Grant R01 NS070918 (LAT) from the National Institutes of Health.

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Grant R01 NS070918 from the National Institutes of Health.

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  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    Alina Oltean & Larry A. Taber

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  1. Alina Oltean
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Correspondence to Larry A. Taber.

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Oltean, A., Taber, L.A. A Chemomechanical Model for Regulation of Contractility in the Embryonic Brain Tube. J Elast 145, 77–98 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10659-020-09811-7

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