Researchers identify mechanism that explains how tissues form complex shapes that enable organ function

From the smooth tubes of our arteries and veins to the textured pockets of our internal organs, our bodies are made of tissues arranged in complex shapes that aid in performing specific functions.

But how do cells fold themselves so precisely into such complicated configurations during development? What are the fundamental forces driving this process? Now, researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered a mechanical process by which sheets of cells morph into the delicate, looping semicircular canals of the inner ear. Published Dec. 22 in Cell, the research, done in zebrafish, reveals that the process involves a combination of hyaluronic acid, produced by cells, that swells with water, and thin connectors between cells that direct the force of this swelling to shape the tissue. Although conducted in zebrafish, the work reveals a basic mechanism for how tissues take on shapes—one that is likely to be conserved across vertebrates, the researchers say, and may also have implications for bioengineering. Read more...

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