Towards exposing the forces remodeling nematic 3D tissue protrusions by combining micro-patterning and soft hydrogel pillars

Date: April 22, 2021

Speaker: Dr Pau Guillamat

Dr. Pau Guillamat from University of Geneva presents his works at Aurelien Roux ‘s lab during the Alveole virtual symposium in April 2021.

Abstract: Cells continuously generate forces in order to move and deform. In tissues, cells need to coordinate their activity to generate the long-ranged flows and forces able to remodel tissues, including transformations in shape and function [1]. Detection of these forces has been possible in vivo by introducing deformable, passive, objects in tissues [2,3]. However, these technologies are not applicable to experiments based on cell monolayers, with better control capabilities. Here, I present how PRIMO has allowed us to prepare (1) robust cell-adhesive micro-patterns, able to confine cells for weeks and secure the formation and stability of 3D tissue protrusions, and (2) micro-systems, composed of both patterns and soft hydrogel pillars, with which we are able to reveal and quantify the forces remodeling our cellular system, from nematic cell monolayers to minimal 3D tissues.

[1] P. Friedl, Y. Hegerfeldt, and M. Tusch, Collective Cell Migration in Morphogenesis and Cancer, International Journal of Developmental Biology.
[2] O. Campàs, T. Mammoto, S. Hasso, R. A. Sperling, D. O’Connell, A. G. Bischof, R. Maas, D. A. Weitz, L. Mahadevan, and D. E. Ingber, Quantifying Cell-Generated Mechanical Forces within Living Embryonic Tissues, Nat. Methods 11, 183 (2014).
[3] M. E. Dolega, M. Delarue, F. Ingremeau, J. Prost, A. Delon, and G. Cappello, Cell-like Pressure Sensors Reveal Increase of Mechanical Stress towards the Core of Multicellular Spheroids under Compression, Nat. Commun. (2017).
[4] P. Guillamat, C. Blanch-Mercader, K. Kruse, and A. Roux, Integer Topological Defects Organize Stresses Driving Tissue Morphogenesis, BioRxiv 2020.06.02.129262 (2020).

Bio: Pau received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Barcelona, where he did his PhD on Active Matter in the group of Self-Organized Complex Materials, under the supervision of Drs. Jordi Ignés and Francesc Sagués. There he focused on developing strategies for controlling the dynamics of active gels. Then Pau moved to Geneva to work in the lab of Dr. Aurélien Roux to study self-organization principles inducing remodeling within cell monolayers.

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