@article{21275,
  abstract     = {DNA methylation is a primary layer of epigenetic modification that plays a pivotal role in the regulation of development, aging, and cancer. The concurrent activity of opposing enzymes that mediate DNA methylation and demethylation gives rise to a biochemical cycle and active turnover of DNA methylation. While the ensuing biochemical oscillations have been implicated in the regulation of cell differentiation, their functional role and spatiotemporal dynamics are unknown. In this work, we demonstrate that chromatin-mediated coupling between these local biochemical cycles can lead to the emergence of phase-locked domains, regions of locally synchronized turnover activity, whose coarsening is arrested by genomic heterogeneity. We introduce a minimal model based on stochastic oscillators with constrained long-range and nonreciprocal interactions, shaped by the local chromatin organization. Through a combination of analytical theory and stochastic simulations, we predict both the degree of synchronization and the typical size of emergent phase-locked domains. We qualitatively test these predictions using single-cell sequencing data. Our results show that DNA methylation turnover exhibits surprisingly rich spatiotemporal patterns that may be used by cells to control cell differentiation.},
  author       = {Olmeda, Fabrizio and Gupta, Misha and Bektas, Onurcan and Rulands, Steffen},
  issn         = {2835-8279},
  journal      = {PRX Life},
  publisher    = {American Physical Society},
  title        = {{Spatiotemporal patterns of active epigenetic turnover}},
  doi          = {10.1103/89bj-79g5},
  volume       = {4},
  year         = {2026},
}

@phdthesis{21423,
  author       = {Dunajova, Zuzana},
  isbn         = {978-3-99078-076-3},
  issn         = {2663-337X},
  pages        = {110},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments}},
  doi          = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21423},
  year         = {2026},
}

@misc{21439,
  abstract     = {These files contain supplementary movies accompanying the PhD thesis “Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments” by Zuzana Dunajova (2026). The videos provide additional visual material supporting the experiments and results described in the thesis.},
  author       = {Dunajova, Zuzana},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Supplementary movies to PhD thesis “Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments”}},
  doi          = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21439},
  year         = {2026},
}

@misc{21137,
  author       = {Naik, Suyash},
  publisher    = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
  title        = {{Data associated with Keratins coordinate tissue spreading }},
  doi          = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21137},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{21015,
  abstract     = {Early embryo geometry is one of the most invariant species-specific traits, yet its role in ensuring developmental reproducibility and robustness remains underexplored. Here we show that in zebrafish, the geometry of the fertilized egg—specifically its curvature and volume—serves as a critical initial condition triggering a cascade of events that influence development. The embryo geometry guides patterned asymmetric cell divisions in the blastoderm, generating radial gradients of cell volume and nucleocytoplasmic ratio. These gradients generate mitotic phase waves, with the nucleocytoplasmic ratio determining individual cell cycle periods independently of other cells. We demonstrate that reducing cell autonomy reshapes these waves, emphasizing the instructive role of geometry-derived volume patterns in setting the intrinsic period of the cell cycle oscillator. In addition to organizing cell cycles, early embryo geometry spatially patterns zygotic genome activation at the midblastula transition, a key step in establishing embryonic autonomy. Disrupting the embryo shape alters the zygotic genome activation pattern and causes ectopic germ layer specification, underscoring the developmental significance of geometry. Together, our findings reveal a symmetry-breaking function of early embryo geometry in coordinating cell cycle and transcriptional patterning.},
  author       = {Mishra, Nikhil and Li, Yuting I and Hannezo, Edouard B and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  pages        = {139--150},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Geometry-driven asymmetric cell divisions pattern cell cycles and zygotic genome activation in the zebrafish embryo}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-025-03122-1},
  volume       = {22},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{21847,
  abstract     = {Analog quantum simulators provide access to many-body dynamics beyond the reach of classical computation. However, extracting physical insights from experimental data is often hindered by measurement noise, limited observables, and incomplete knowledge of the underlying microscopic model. Here, we develop a machine learning approach based on a variational autoencoder (VAE) to analyze interference measurements of tunnel-coupled one-dimensional Bose gases, which realize the sine-Gordon quantum field theory. Trained in an unsupervised manner, the VAE learns a minimal latent representation that strongly correlates with the equilibrium control parameter of the system. Applied to nonequilibrium protocols, the latent space uncovers signatures of frozen-in solitons following rapid cooling, and reveals anomalous postquench dynamics not captured by conventional correlation-based methods. These results demonstrate that generative models can extract physically interpretable variables directly from noisy and sparse experimental data, providing complementary probes of equilibrium and nonequilibrium physics in quantum simulators. More broadly, our work highlights how machine learning can supplement established field-theoretical techniques, paving the way for scalable, data-driven discovery in quantum many-body systems.},
  author       = {Moller, Frederik Skovbo and Fernández-Fernández, Gabriel and Schweigler, Thomas and De Schoulepnikoff, Paulin and Schmiedmayer, Jörg and Muñoz-Gil, Gorka},
  issn         = {2643-1564},
  journal      = {Physical Review Research},
  number       = {2},
  publisher    = {American Physical Society},
  title        = {{Learning minimal representations of many-body physics from snapshots of a quantum simulator}},
  doi          = {10.1103/r7pj-gl7r},
  volume       = {8},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{21849,
  abstract     = {The development of complex tissues relies on the precise assignment of cell identity. At the molecular scale, this process depends on the deposition of epigenetic modifications—such as methylation—that are regulated by complex biochemical networks and occur at specific regions on the DNA and chromatin. Here we show that despite the complexity of epigenetic regulation, dynamical scaling and self-similarity of DNA methylation marks emerge in embryonic development. Drawing on single-cell multi-omics experiments, super-resolution microscopy and statistical physics, we demonstrate that these phenomena originate in dynamical feedback between DNA methylation and the formation of nanoscale dynamic chromatin aggregates. These nanoscale processes lead to genome-wide increase in DNA methylation marks following a power law and self-similar correlation functions. Using this framework, we identify methylation patterns that precede gene expression changes in embryonic symmetry breaking. Our work identifies linear sequencing measurements as a laboratory to study mesoscopic biophysical processes in vivo.},
  author       = {Olmeda, Fabrizio and Lohoff, Tim and Kafetzopoulos, Ioannis and Clark, Stephen J. and Benson, Laura and Santos, Fatima and Krueger, Felix and Walker, Simon and Reik, Wolf and Rulands, Steffen},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Scaling and self-similarity in the formation of the embryonic epigenome}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-026-03263-x},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{21899,
  abstract     = {Cell extrusion is an essential mechanism for controlling cell density in epithelial tissues. Another essential element of epithelia is curvature, which is required to achieve complex shapes, like in the lung or intestine. Here, we introduce a three-dimensional bubbly vertex model to study the interplay between extrusion and curvature. We find a generic cellular bulging instability at topological defects, which is much stronger than for standard vertex models. Analyzing cell shapes in three-dimensional imaging data of spherical mouse colon organoids, we infer that pentagonal cells have an increased basal interfacial tension, suggesting that cells at topological defects react to the different force conditions. Using the bubbly vertex model, we show that such basal tensions stabilize against the predicted instability and result in better cell shape control than tissue-scale mechanisms such as lumen pressure and spontaneous curvature. Our theory suggests that epithelial curvature naturally leads to bulged and extrusionlike cell shapes because the interfacial curvature of individual cells at the defects strongly amplifies buckling effected by tissue-scale topological defects in elastic sheets. Our results highlight the complex interplay of forces across scales in three-dimensional tissue organization.},
  author       = {Drozdowski, Oliver M and Kocameşe-Tamgac𝚤, Büşra and Boonekamp, Kim E. and Boutros, Michael and Schwarz, Ulrich S.},
  issn         = {2160-3308},
  journal      = {Physical Review X},
  number       = {2},
  publisher    = {American Physical Society},
  title        = {{Cell bulging and extrusion in a three-dimensional bubbly vertex model for curved epithelial sheets}},
  doi          = {10.1103/x82g-cq7n},
  volume       = {16},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{19966,
  abstract     = {Recently discovered nanofluidic memristors, have raised promises for the development of iontronics and neuromorphic computing with ions. Ionic memory effects are related to ion dynamics inside nanochannels, with timescales associated with the manifold physicochemical phenomena occurring at confined interfaces. Here, we explore experimentally the frequency-dependent current–voltage response of model nanochannels—namely glass nanopipettes—to investigate memory effects in ion transport. This characterisation, which we refer to as mem-spectrometry, highlights two characteristic frequencies, associated with short and long timescales of the order of 50 ms and 50 s in the present system. Whereas the former can be associated with ionic diffusion, very long timescales are difficult to explain with conventional transport phenomena. We develop a minimal model accounting for these mem-spectrometry results, pointing to surface charge regulation and ionic adsorption-desorption as possible origins for the long-term memory. Our work demonstrates the relevance of mem-spectrometry to highlight subtle ion transport properties in nanochannels, giving hereby new insights on the mechanisms governing ion transport and current rectification in charged conical nanopores.},
  author       = {Jouveshomme, Simon and Lizée, Mathieu and Robin, Paul and Bocquet, Lydéric},
  issn         = {1367-2630},
  journal      = {New Journal of Physics},
  number       = {6},
  publisher    = {IOP Publishing},
  title        = {{Multiple ionic memories in asymmetric nanochannels revealed by mem-spectrometry}},
  doi          = {10.1088/1367-2630/ade61b},
  volume       = {27},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{20056,
  abstract     = {Theoretical studies have shown that stochasticity can affect the dynamics of ecosystems in counterintuitive ways. However, without knowing the equations governing the dynamics of populations or ecosystems, it is difficult to ascertain the role of stochasticity in real datasets. Therefore, the inverse problem of inferring the governing stochastic equations from datasets is important. Here, we present an equation discovery methodology that takes time series data of state variables as input and outputs a stochastic differential equation. We achieve this by combining traditional approaches from stochastic calculus with the equation discovery techniques. We demonstrate the generality of the method via several applications. First, we deliberately choose various stochastic models with fundamentally different governing equations, yet they produce nearly identical steady-state distributions. We show that we can recover the correct underlying equations, and thus infer the structure of their stability, accurately from the analysis of time series data alone. We demonstrate our method on two real-world datasets—fish schooling and single-cell migration—that have vastly different spatiotemporal scales and dynamics. We illustrate various limitations and potential pitfalls of the method and how to overcome them via diagnostic measures. Finally, we provide our open-source code via a package named PyDaDDy (Python Library for Data-Driven Dynamics).},
  author       = {Nabeel, Arshed and Karichannavar, Ashwin and Palathingal, Shuaib and Jhawar, Jitesh and Brückner, David and Raj M, Danny and Guttal, Vishwesha},
  issn         = {1537-5323},
  journal      = {The American Naturalist},
  number       = {4},
  pages        = {E100--E117},
  publisher    = {University of Chicago Press},
  title        = {{Discovering stochastic dynamical equations from ecological time series data}},
  doi          = {10.1086/734083},
  volume       = {205},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{20259,
  abstract     = {Cell migration in narrow microenvironments occurs in numerous physiological processes. It involves successive cycles of confinement and release that drive important morphological changes. However, it remains unclear whether migrating cells can retain a memory of their past morphological states that could potentially facilitate their navigation through confined spaces. We demonstrate that local geometry governs a switch between two cell morphologies, thereby facilitating cell passage through long and narrow gaps. We combined cell migration assays on standardized microsystems with biophysical modelling and biochemical perturbations to show that migrating cells have a long-term memory of past confinement events. The morphological cell states correlate across transitions through actin cortex remodelling. These findings indicate that mechanical memory in migrating cells plays an active role in their migratory potential in confined environments.},
  author       = {Kalukula, Yohalie and Luciano, Marine and Simanov, Gleb and Charras, Guillaume and Brückner, David and Gabriele, Sylvain},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  pages        = {1451--1461},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{The actin cortex acts as a mechanical memory of morphology in confined migrating cells}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-025-02980-z},
  volume       = {21},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{20431,
  abstract     = {Haptotaxis is the process of directed cell migration along gradients of extracellular matrix density and is central to morphogenesis, immune responses and cancer invasion. It is commonly assumed that cells respond to these gradients by migrating directionally towards the regions of highest ligand density. In contrast with this view, here we show that cells exposed to micropatterned fibronectin gradients exhibit a wide range of complex trajectories, including directed haptotactic migration up the gradient but also linear oscillations and circles with extended periods of migration down the gradient. To explain this behaviour, we developed a biophysical model of haptotactic cell migration based on a coarse-grained molecular clutch model coupled to persistent stochastic polarity dynamics. Although initial haptotactic migration is explained by the differential friction at the front and back of the cell, the observed complex trajectories over longer timescales arise from the interplay between differential friction, persistence and physical confinement. Overall, our study reveals that confinement and persistence modulate the ability of cells to sense and respond to haptotactic cues and provides a framework for understanding how cells navigate complex environments.},
  author       = {Fortunato, Isabela Corina and Brückner, David and Grosser, Steffen and Nautiyal, Rohit and Rossetti, Leone and Bosch-Padrós, Miquel and Trebicka, Jonel and Roca-Cusachs, Pere and Sunyer, Raimon and Hannezo, Edouard B and Trepat, Xavier},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  pages        = {1638--1647},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Single-cell migration along and against confined haptotactic gradients}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-025-03015-3},
  volume       = {21},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{20670,
  abstract     = {β-Barrel nanopores are involved in crucial biological processes, from ATP export in mitochondria to bacterial resistance, and represent a promising platform for emerging sequencing technologies. However, in contrast to ion channels, the understanding of the fundamental principles governing ion transport through these nanopores remains largely unexplored. Here we integrate experimental, numerical and theoretical approaches to elucidate ion transport mechanisms in β-barrel nanopores. We identify and characterize two distinct nonlinear phenomena: open-pore rectification and gating. Through extensive mutation analysis of aerolysin nanopores, we demonstrate that open-pore rectification is caused by ionic accumulation driven by the distribution of lumen charges. In addition, we provide converging evidence suggesting that gating is controlled by electric fields dissociating counterions from lumen charges, promoting local structural deformations. Our findings establish a rigorous framework for characterizing and understanding ion transport processes in protein-based nanopores, enabling the design of adaptable nanofluidic biotechnologies. We illustrate this by optimizing an aerolysin mutant for computing applications.},
  author       = {Mayer, Simon and Mitsioni, Marianna Fanouria and Robin, Paul and Van Den Heuvel, Lukas and Ronceray, Nathan and Marcaida, Maria Jose and Abriata, Luciano A. and Krapp, Lucien F. and Anton, Jana S. and Soussou, Sarah and Jeanneret-Grosjean, Justin and Fulciniti, Alessandro and Möller, Alexia and Vacle, Sarah and Feletti, Lely and Brinkerhoff, Henry and Laszlo, Andrew H. and Gundlach, Jens H. and Emmerich, Theo and Dal Peraro, Matteo and Radenovic, Aleksandra},
  issn         = {1748-3395},
  journal      = {Nature Nanotechnology},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Lumen charge governs gated ion transport in β-barrel nanopores}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41565-025-02052-6},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{18960,
  abstract     = {The importance of physical forces in the morphogenesis, homeostatic function, and pathological dysfunction of multicellular tissues is being increasingly characterized, both theoretically and experimentally. Analogies between biological systems and inert materials such as foams, gels, and liquid crystals have provided striking insights into the core design principles underlying multicellular organization. However, these connections can seem surprising given that a key feature of multicellular systems is their ability to constantly consume energy, providing an active origin for the forces that they produce. Key emerging questions are, therefore, to understand whether and how this activity grants tissues novel properties that do not have counterparts in classical materials, as well as their consequences for biological function. Here, we review recent discoveries at the intersection of active matter and tissue biology, with an emphasis on how modeling and experiments can be combined to understand the dynamics of multicellular systems. These approaches suggest that a number of key biological tissue-scale phenomena, such as morphogenetic shape changes, collective migration, or fate decisions, share unifying design principles that can be described by physical models of tissue active matter.},
  author       = {Brückner, David and Hannezo, Edouard B},
  issn         = {1943-0264},
  journal      = {Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology},
  number       = {4},
  publisher    = {Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press},
  title        = {{Tissue active matter: Integrating mechanics and signaling into dynamical models}},
  doi          = {10.1101/cshperspect.a041653},
  volume       = {17},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19279,
  abstract     = {Recent experimental advances in nanofluidics have allowed to explore ion transport across molecular-scale pores, in particular, for iontronic applications. Two-dimensional nanochannels—in which a single molecular layer of electrolyte is confined between solid walls—constitute a unique platform to investigate fluid and ion transport in extreme confinement, highlighting unconventional transport properties. In this work, we study ionic association in 2D nanochannels, and its consequences on non-linear ionic transport, using both molecular dynamics simulations and analytical theory. We show that under sufficient confinement, ions assemble into pairs or larger clusters in a process analogous to a Kosterlitz–Thouless transition, here modified by the dielectric confinement. We further show that the breaking of pairs results in an electric-field dependent conduction, a mechanism usually known as the second Wien effect. However the 2D nature of the system results in non-universal, temperature-dependent, scaling of the conductivity with electric field, leading to ionic coulomb blockade in some regimes. A 2D generalization of the Onsager theory fully accounts for the non-linear transport. These results suggest ways to exploit electrostatic interactions between ions to build new nanofluidic devices.},
  author       = {Toquer, Damien and Bocquet, Lydéric and Robin, Paul},
  issn         = {1089-7690},
  journal      = {Journal of Chemical Physics},
  number       = {6},
  publisher    = {AIP Publishing},
  title        = {{Ionic association and Wien effect in 2D confined electrolytes}},
  doi          = {10.1063/5.0241949},
  volume       = {162},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19373,
  abstract     = {Reproducible pattern and form generation during embryogenesis is poorly understood. Intestinal organoid morphogenesis involves a number of mechanochemical regulators such as cell-type-specific cytoskeletal forces and osmotically driven lumen volume changes. It is unclear how these forces are coordinated in time and space to ensure robust morphogenesis. Here we show how mechanosensitive feedback on cytoskeletal tension gives rise to morphological bistability in a minimal model of organoid morphogenesis. In the model, lumen volume changes can impact the epithelial shape via both direct mechanical and indirect mechanosensitive mechanisms. We find that both bulged and budded crypt states are possible and dependent on the history of volume changes. We test key modelling assumptions via biophysical and pharmacological experiments to demonstrate how bistability can explain experimental observations, such as the importance of the timing of lumen shrinkage and robustness of the final morphogenetic state to mechanical perturbations. This suggests that bistability arising from feedback between cellular tensions and fluid pressure could be a general mechanism that coordinates multicellular shape changes in developing systems.},
  author       = {Xue, Shi-lei and Yang, Qiutan and Liberali, Prisca and Hannezo, Edouard B},
  issn         = {1745-2481},
  journal      = {Nature Physics},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Mechanochemical bistability of intestinal organoids enables robust morphogenesis}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41567-025-02792-1},
  volume       = {21},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19402,
  abstract     = {Recent advances in the field of bottom-up synthetic biology have led to the development of synthetic cells that mimic some features of real cells, such as division, protein synthesis, or DNA replication. Larger assemblies of synthetic cells may be used to form prototissues. However, existing prototissues are limited by their relatively small lateral dimensions or their lack of remodeling ability. Here, we introduce a lipid-based tissue mimetic that can be easily prepared and functionalized, consisting of a millimeter-sized “lipid-foam” with individual micrometer-sized compartments bound by lipid bilayers. We characterize the structural and mechanical properties of the lipid-foam tissue mimetic, and we demonstrate self-healing capabilities enabled by the fluidity of the lipid bilayers. Upon inclusion of bacteria in the tissue compartments, we observe that the tissue mimetic exhibits network-wide tension fluctuations driven by membrane tension generation by the swimming bacteria. Active tension fluctuations facilitate the fluidization and reorganization of the prototissue, providing a versatile platform for understanding and mimicking biological tissues.},
  author       = {Gu, Andre A. and Ucar, Mehmet C and Tran, Peter and Prindle, Arthur and Kamat, Neha P. and Steinkühler, Jan},
  issn         = {2041-1723},
  journal      = {Nature Communications},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Remodeling of lipid-foam prototissues by network-wide tension fluctuations induced by active particles}},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41467-025-57178-x},
  volume       = {16},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19404,
  abstract     = {Cell migration is a fundamental process during embryonic development. Most studies in vivo have focused on the migration of cells using the extracellular matrix (ECM) as their substrate for migration. In contrast, much less is known about how cells migrate on other cells, as found in early embryos when the ECM has not yet formed. Here, we show that lateral mesendoderm (LME) cells in the early zebrafish gastrula use the ectoderm as their substrate for migration. We show that the lateral ectoderm is permissive for the animal-pole-directed migration of LME cells, while the ectoderm at the animal pole halts it. These differences in permissiveness depend on the lateral ectoderm being more cohesive than the animal ectoderm, a property controlled by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling within the ectoderm. Collectively, these findings identify ectoderm tissue cohesion as one critical factor in regulating LME migration during zebrafish gastrulation.},
  author       = {Tavano, Ste and Brückner, David and Tasciyan, Saren and Tong, Xin and Kardos, Roland and Schauer, Alexandra and Hauschild, Robert and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
  issn         = {2211-1247},
  journal      = {Cell Reports},
  number       = {3},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{BMP-dependent patterning of ectoderm tissue material properties modulates lateral mesendoderm cell migration during early zebrafish gastrulation}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115387},
  volume       = {44},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19507,
  abstract     = {The epidermis provides a protective barrier against hostile environments. However, our knowledge of how this barrier forms during development and is subsequently maintained remains incomplete. The infundibulum is a cylindrical epidermal tissue compartment that serves as an outlet for hair follicles protruding from the skin and the excretion of the sebaceous glands that are essential for proper skin function. In this study, we applied quantitative fate mapping to address how infundibulum are maintained during adulthood. We demonstrate that progenitors build and maintain tissues through stochastic cell fate choices. Long-term analysis identified a preferential transient contribution from cells initially located at the bottom of the structure to the maintenance of the tissue, with bursts of local progenitor expansion associated with the phases of hair growth. Beyond providing compartment-wide insights into progenitor cell dynamics in infundibulum, these findings demonstrate how spatiotemporal regulation controls transient progenitor dominance.},
  author       = {Andersen, Marianne S. and Ulyanchenko, Svetlana and Schweiger, Pawel J. and Hannezo, Edouard B and Simons, Benjamin D. and Jensen, Kim B.},
  issn         = {1523-1747},
  journal      = {Journal of Investigative Dermatology},
  number       = {9},
  pages        = {2191--2202.e5},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Spatiotemporal switches in progenitor cell fate govern upper hair follicle growth and maintenance}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.jid.2025.01.034},
  volume       = {145},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{19703,
  abstract     = {An enlarged brain underlies the complex central nervous system of vertebrates. The dramatic expansion of the brain that diverges its shape from the spinal cord follows neural tube closure during embryonic development. Here, we show that this differential deformation is encoded by a pre-pattern of tissue material properties in chicken embryos. Using magnetic droplets and atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that the dorsal hindbrain is more fluid than the dorsal spinal cord, resulting in a thinning versus a resisting response to increasing lumen pressure, respectively. The dorsal hindbrain exhibits reduced apical actin and a disorganized laminin matrix consistent with tissue fluidization. Blocking the activity of neural-crest-associated matrix metalloproteinases inhibits hindbrain expansion. Transplanting dorsal hindbrain cells to the spinal cord can locally create an expanded brain-like morphology in some cases. Our findings raise questions in vertebrate head evolution and suggest a general role of mechanical pre-patterning in sculpting epithelial tubes.},
  author       = {Mclaren, Susannah B.P. and Xue, Shi-lei and Ding, Siyuan and Winkel, Alexander K. and Baldwin, Oscar and Dwarakacherla, Shreya and Franze, Kristian and Hannezo, Edouard B and Xiong, Fengzhu},
  issn         = {1878-1551},
  journal      = {Developmental Cell},
  number       = {17},
  pages        = {2237--2247.e4},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Differential tissue deformability underlies fluid pressure-driven shape divergence of the avian embryonic brain and spinal cord}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.devcel.2025.04.010},
  volume       = {60},
  year         = {2025},
}

