Dresden 2017 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 59: Multi-Cellular-Systems

BP 59.2: Vortrag

Freitag, 24. März 2017, 10:00–10:15, HÜL 386

How cell division timing leads to robust development in Caenorhabditis elegans — •Rolf Fickentscher, Philipp Struntz, and Matthias Weiss — Experimental Physics 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95444 Bayreuth

Embryogenesis of the small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a remarkably robust and reproducible, but still poorly understood self-organization phenomenon. Here, we show that the coupling of cellular volumes and cell cycle times in combination with a mechanically guided arrangement process is key for a fail-safe embryogenesis of C. elegans.

In particular, we have monitored cell trajectories and cellular volumes in C. elegans embryos over several hours at different ambient temperatures by means of a custom-made lightsheet microscope. Embryonic cell trajectories are accurately described by a simple mechanical framework, i.e. cells migrate to and adopt positions of least meachincal constraints within the confining eggshell [1]. Our experimental data also revealed an anticorrelation of cell volumes and cell cycle durations, with significant differences between somatic and germline cells. This observation can be rationalized via a simple model that invokes a limiting molecular component supporting cell division, e.g. nuclear pore complexes. Integrating this aspect into the aforementioned mechanical framework, we observed that the different scaling of the germline precursor lineage is crucial for a robust cellular arrangement process during early embryogenesis [2].

[1] R. Fickentscher, P. Struntz & M. Weiss, Biophys. J. 105 (2013)

[2] R. Fickentscher, P. Struntz & M. Weiss, PRL 117 (2016)