---
_id: '9316'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Embryo morphogenesis is impacted by dynamic changes in tissue material properties,
    which have been proposed to occur via processes akin to phase transitions (PTs).
    Here, we show that rigidity percolation provides a simple and robust theoretical
    framework to predict material/structural PTs of embryonic tissues from local cell
    connectivity. By using percolation theory, combined with directly monitoring dynamic
    changes in tissue rheology and cell contact mechanics, we demonstrate that the
    zebrafish blastoderm undergoes a genuine rigidity PT, brought about by a small
    reduction in adhesion-dependent cell connectivity below a critical value. We quantitatively
    predict and experimentally verify hallmarks of PTs, including power-law exponents
    and associated discontinuities of macroscopic observables. Finally, we show that
    this uniform PT depends on blastoderm cells undergoing meta-synchronous divisions
    causing random and, consequently, uniform changes in cell connectivity. Collectively,
    our theoretical and experimental findings reveal the structural basis of material
    PTs in an organismal context.
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: Bio
- _id: PreCl
acknowledgement: We thank Carl Goodrich and the members of the Heisenberg and Hannezo
  groups, in particular Reka Korei, for help, technical advice, and discussions; and
  the Bioimaging and zebrafish facilities of the IST Austria for continuous support.
  This work was supported by the Elise Richter Program of Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
  to N.I.P. ( V 736-B26 ) and the European Union (European Research Council Advanced
  Grant 742573 to C.-P.H. and European Research Council Starting Grant 851288 to E.H.).
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Nicoletta
  full_name: Petridou, Nicoletta
  id: 2A003F6C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Petridou
  orcid: 0000-0002-8451-1195
- first_name: Bernat
  full_name: Corominas-Murtra, Bernat
  id: 43BE2298-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Corominas-Murtra
  orcid: 0000-0001-9806-5643
- first_name: Carl-Philipp J
  full_name: Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J
  id: 39427864-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Heisenberg
  orcid: 0000-0002-0912-4566
- first_name: Edouard B
  full_name: Hannezo, Edouard B
  id: 3A9DB764-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hannezo
  orcid: 0000-0001-6005-1561
citation:
  ama: Petridou N, Corominas-Murtra B, Heisenberg C-PJ, Hannezo EB. Rigidity percolation
    uncovers a structural basis for embryonic tissue phase transitions. <i>Cell</i>.
    2021;184(7):1914-1928.e19. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017">10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017</a>
  apa: Petridou, N., Corominas-Murtra, B., Heisenberg, C.-P. J., &#38; Hannezo, E.
    B. (2021). Rigidity percolation uncovers a structural basis for embryonic tissue
    phase transitions. <i>Cell</i>. Elsevier. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017</a>
  chicago: Petridou, Nicoletta, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Carl-Philipp J Heisenberg,
    and Edouard B Hannezo. “Rigidity Percolation Uncovers a Structural Basis for Embryonic
    Tissue Phase Transitions.” <i>Cell</i>. Elsevier, 2021. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017</a>.
  ieee: N. Petridou, B. Corominas-Murtra, C.-P. J. Heisenberg, and E. B. Hannezo,
    “Rigidity percolation uncovers a structural basis for embryonic tissue phase transitions,”
    <i>Cell</i>, vol. 184, no. 7. Elsevier, p. 1914–1928.e19, 2021.
  ista: Petridou N, Corominas-Murtra B, Heisenberg C-PJ, Hannezo EB. 2021. Rigidity
    percolation uncovers a structural basis for embryonic tissue phase transitions.
    Cell. 184(7), 1914–1928.e19.
  mla: Petridou, Nicoletta, et al. “Rigidity Percolation Uncovers a Structural Basis
    for Embryonic Tissue Phase Transitions.” <i>Cell</i>, vol. 184, no. 7, Elsevier,
    2021, p. 1914–1928.e19, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017">10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017</a>.
  short: N. Petridou, B. Corominas-Murtra, C.-P.J. Heisenberg, E.B. Hannezo, Cell
    184 (2021) 1914–1928.e19.
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2021-04-11T22:01:14Z
date_published: 2021-04-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-07-10T12:01:42Z
day: '01'
ddc:
- '570'
department:
- _id: CaHe
- _id: EdHa
doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  isi:
  - '000636734000022'
  pmid:
  - '33730596'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 1e5295fbd9c2a459173ec45a0e8a7c2e
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  creator: cziletti
  date_created: 2021-06-08T10:04:10Z
  date_updated: 2021-06-08T10:04:10Z
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  file_name: 2021_Cell_Petridou.pdf
  file_size: 11405875
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2021-06-08T10:04:10Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '       184'
isi: 1
issue: '7'
language:
- iso: eng
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
month: '04'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 1914-1928.e19
pmid: 1
project:
- _id: 260F1432-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '742573'
  name: Interaction and feedback between cell mechanics and fate specification in
    vertebrate gastrulation
- _id: 05943252-7A3F-11EA-A408-12923DDC885E
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '851288'
  name: Design Principles of Branching Morphogenesis
- _id: 2693FD8C-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: FWF
  grant_number: V00736
  name: Tissue material properties in embryonic development
publication: Cell
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1097-4172
  issn:
  - 0092-8674
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
  link:
  - description: News on IST Homepage
    relation: press_release
    url: https://ist.ac.at/en/news/embryonic-tissue-undergoes-phase-transition/
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Rigidity percolation uncovers a structural basis for embryonic tissue phase
  transitions
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  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 184
year: '2021'
...
---
_id: '6980'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Tissue morphogenesis in multicellular organisms is brought about by spatiotemporal
    coordination of mechanical and chemical signals. Extensive work on how mechanical
    forces together with the well‐established morphogen signalling pathways can actively
    shape living tissues has revealed evolutionary conserved mechanochemical features
    of embryonic development. More recently, attention has been drawn to the description
    of tissue material properties and how they can influence certain morphogenetic
    processes. Interestingly, besides the role of tissue material properties in determining
    how much tissues deform in response to force application, there is increasing
    theoretical and experimental evidence, suggesting that tissue material properties
    can abruptly and drastically change in development. These changes resemble phase
    transitions, pointing at the intriguing possibility that important morphogenetic
    processes in development, such as symmetry breaking and self‐organization, might
    be mediated by tissue phase transitions. In this review, we summarize recent findings
    on the regulation and role of tissue material properties in the context of the
    developing embryo. We posit that abrupt changes of tissue rheological properties
    may have important implications in maintaining the balance between robustness
    and adaptability during embryonic development.
article_number: e102497
article_processing_charge: Yes (via OA deal)
article_type: review
author:
- first_name: Nicoletta
  full_name: Petridou, Nicoletta
  id: 2A003F6C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Petridou
  orcid: 0000-0002-8451-1195
- first_name: Carl-Philipp J
  full_name: Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J
  id: 39427864-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Heisenberg
  orcid: 0000-0002-0912-4566
citation:
  ama: Petridou N, Heisenberg C-PJ. Tissue rheology in embryonic organization. <i>The
    EMBO Journal</i>. 2019;38(20). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497">10.15252/embj.2019102497</a>
  apa: Petridou, N., &#38; Heisenberg, C.-P. J. (2019). Tissue rheology in embryonic
    organization. <i>The EMBO Journal</i>. Embo Press. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497">https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497</a>
  chicago: Petridou, Nicoletta, and Carl-Philipp J Heisenberg. “Tissue Rheology in
    Embryonic Organization.” <i>The EMBO Journal</i>. Embo Press, 2019. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497">https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497</a>.
  ieee: N. Petridou and C.-P. J. Heisenberg, “Tissue rheology in embryonic organization,”
    <i>The EMBO Journal</i>, vol. 38, no. 20. Embo Press, 2019.
  ista: Petridou N, Heisenberg C-PJ. 2019. Tissue rheology in embryonic organization.
    The EMBO Journal. 38(20), e102497.
  mla: Petridou, Nicoletta, and Carl-Philipp J. Heisenberg. “Tissue Rheology in Embryonic
    Organization.” <i>The EMBO Journal</i>, vol. 38, no. 20, e102497, Embo Press,
    2019, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2019102497">10.15252/embj.2019102497</a>.
  short: N. Petridou, C.-P.J. Heisenberg, The EMBO Journal 38 (2019).
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2019-11-04T15:24:29Z
date_published: 2019-10-15T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-05-14T11:21:32Z
day: '15'
ddc:
- '570'
department:
- _id: CaHe
doi: 10.15252/embj.2019102497
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  isi:
  - '000485561900001'
  pmid:
  - '31512749'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 76f7f4e79ab6d850c30017a69726fd85
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2019-11-04T15:30:08Z
  date_updated: 2020-07-14T12:47:46Z
  file_id: '6981'
  file_name: 2019_Embo_Petridou.pdf
  file_size: 847356
  relation: main_file
file_date_updated: 2020-07-14T12:47:46Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        38'
isi: 1
issue: '20'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '10'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
pmid: 1
project:
- _id: 260F1432-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '742573'
  name: Interaction and feedback between cell mechanics and fate specification in
    vertebrate gastrulation
- _id: 2693FD8C-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: FWF
  grant_number: V00736
  name: Tissue material properties in embryonic development
publication: The EMBO Journal
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1460-2075
  issn:
  - 0261-4189
publication_status: published
publisher: Embo Press
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Tissue rheology in embryonic organization
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 38
year: '2019'
...