Online seminar: Mechanical forces as regulators of single cell dynamics and tissue function during early development

The development of a single fertilised cell into an embryo is a highly dynamic process that establishes the structural and functional architecture of the organism. The building of complex multicellular structures fundamentally emerges from the spatio-temporal coordination of dynamic behaviours at the single cell level. How this multi-scale process occurs with high fidelity and robustness is still a major open question. In order to establish and maintain proper tissue form and function, single cells need to precisely decode mechano-chemical information in their microenvironment and adaptively respond to these signals under normal and stress conditions.

Here I will first discuss how embryonic stem cells are able to sense mechanical shape deformations and physical confinement in their 3D tissue environment. I will explore the function of the cell nucleus as an intracellular mechano-sensor and how it can function as a non-genetic controller of dynamic cell behaviour and migration plasticity. I will finally discuss how developmental robustness and error correction are established by mechanical cell cooperation that facilitates phagocytic tissue clearance of aberrant apoptotic cells in the earliest stages of embryo development.

This seminar will be given online via Zoom. Details in attached poster.