APLNR regulates directed migration to spatially pattern mesoderm in human gastruloids
- 1University of Chicago
Abstract
During human gastrulation, mesoderm progenitors migrate while acquiring distinct identities. Whether this movement contributes to subsequent patterning remains unclear. Here, we identify the apelin receptor (APLNR) as a regulator of directed migration of mesoderm in human gastruloids. TBXT+ cells ingress basally and disperse from the PS-like region toward epiblast-like cells. Tracking reveals that this dispersal reflects a directional bias rather than increased speed. APLNR is enriched in nascent mesoderm, while its ligand APELA is expressed in adjacent epithelial cells. Control gastruloids exhibit fourfold greater dispersal than APLNR-depleted gastruloids despite modest speed differences, consistent with a model of chemotaxis by an epithelial ligand field. Paraxial and lateral mesoderm differentiation competence is preserved following APLNR depletion, while signaling programs and central FOXC2+ paraxial organization are altered. These findings support a role for APLNR-dependent guidance in positioning competent mesoderm progenitors for subsequent patterning.
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BibTeX
@misc{johnson2026aplnr,
title = {{APLNR regulates directed migration to spatially pattern mesoderm in human gastruloids}},
author = {A. B. Johnson and S. Seetharaman and A. M. Plum and L. Yao and Z. Yu and M. Serra and I. Heemskerk and M. Gardel},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.19.760207},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760207v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - APLNR regulates directed migration to spatially pattern mesoderm in human gastruloids
AU - A. B. Johnson
AU - S. Seetharaman
AU - A. M. Plum
AU - L. Yao
AU - Z. Yu
AU - M. Serra
AU - I. Heemskerk
AU - M. Gardel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.19.760207
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760207v1
AB - During human gastrulation, mesoderm progenitors migrate while acquiring distinct identities. Whether this movement contributes to subsequent patterning remains unclear. Here, we identify the apelin receptor (APLNR) as a regulator of directed migration of mesoderm in human gastruloids. TBXT+ cells ingress basally and disperse from the PS-like region toward epiblast-like cells. Tracking reveals that this dispersal reflects a directional bias rather than increased speed. APLNR is enriched in nascent mesoderm, while its ligand APELA is expressed in adjacent epithelial cells. Control gastruloids exhibit fourfold greater dispersal than APLNR-depleted gastruloids despite modest speed differences, consistent with a model of chemotaxis by an epithelial ligand field. Paraxial and lateral mesoderm differentiation competence is preserved following APLNR depletion, while signaling programs and central FOXC2+ paraxial organization are altered. These findings support a role for APLNR-dependent guidance in positioning competent mesoderm progenitors for subsequent patterning.
ER -