Spatiotemporal mapping of the contractile and adhesive forces sculpting early C. elegans embryos
7 affiliations
- 1London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, UK; Applied Bioscience, Kanagawa Institute of Technology, 1030 Shimo-Ogino, Atsugi 243-0203, Kanagawa, Japan; Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-0815, Japan
- 2Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 11, place Marcelin Berthelot, Paris 75005, France
- 3The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- 4Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 11, place Marcelin Berthelot, Paris 75005, France; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- 5Department of Statistical Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- 6Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 11, place Marcelin Berthelot, Paris 75005, France. Electronic address: [email protected]
- 7London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, UK; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. Electronic address: [email protected]
Abstract
Embryo shape is determined by individual cell mechanics, intercellular interaction strength, and geometrical constraints. Models based on surface tensions at cell interfaces can predict 3D static cellular arrangements within aggregates. However, predicting the dynamics of such arrangements is challenging due to difficulties in measuring temporal changes in tensions. Here, we characterise the spatiotemporal changes in cellular tensions shaping the early nematode embryo using AFM, live microscopy, and tension inference. Using excoriated embryos, we validate a hybrid inference pipeline that calibrates relative inferred tensions temporally using cortical myosin enrichment and absolute tensions using AFM measurements. Applied to embryos within their native shell, we infer a spatiotemporal map of absolute tensions, revealing that ABa, ABp, and EMS compaction is driven by increased tension at free surfaces, while P2's initial exclusion is due to high tension at intercellular contacts. We uncover a direct and non-affine contribution of cadherins to cell-cell contact tension, comparable to cadherins' indirect contribution via actomyosin regulation.
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BibTeX
@article{yamamoto2026spatiotemporal,
title = {{Spatiotemporal mapping of the contractile and adhesive forces sculpting early C. elegans embryos}},
author = {Kazunori Yamamoto and Sacha Ichbiah and Matthieu Perez and Joana Borrego-Pinto and Fabrice Delbary and Nathan W. Goehring and Paul J. Northrop and Hervé Turlier and Guillaume Charras},
journal = {Developmental Cell},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1016/j.devcel.2026.04.013},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.04.013},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Spatiotemporal mapping of the contractile and adhesive forces sculpting early C. elegans embryos
AU - Kazunori Yamamoto
AU - Sacha Ichbiah
AU - Matthieu Perez
AU - Joana Borrego-Pinto
AU - Fabrice Delbary
AU - Nathan W. Goehring
AU - Paul J. Northrop
AU - Hervé Turlier
AU - Guillaume Charras
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/21
JO - Developmental Cell
DO - 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.04.013
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.04.013
AB - Embryo shape is determined by individual cell mechanics, intercellular interaction strength, and geometrical constraints. Models based on surface tensions at cell interfaces can predict 3D static cellular arrangements within aggregates. However, predicting the dynamics of such arrangements is challenging due to difficulties in measuring temporal changes in tensions. Here, we characterise the spatiotemporal changes in cellular tensions shaping the early nematode embryo using AFM, live microscopy, and tension inference. Using excoriated embryos, we validate a hybrid inference pipeline that calibrates relative inferred tensions temporally using cortical myosin enrichment and absolute tensions using AFM measurements. Applied to embryos within their native shell, we infer a spatiotemporal map of absolute tensions, revealing that ABa, ABp, and EMS compaction is driven by increased tension at free surfaces, while P2's initial exclusion is due to high tension at intercellular contacts. We uncover a direct and non-affine contribution of cadherins to cell-cell contact tension, comparable to cadherins' indirect contribution via actomyosin regulation.
SN - 1534-5807
SN - 1878-1551
ER -