IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v431y2004i7009d10.1038_nature02952.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Surface mechanics mediate pattern formation in the developing retina

Author

Listed:
  • Takashi Hayashi

    (Northwestern University
    University of Tokyo)

  • Richard W. Carthew

    (Northwestern University)

Abstract

Pattern formation of biological structures involves organizing different types of cells into a spatial configuration. In this study, we investigate the physical basis of biological patterning of the Drosophila retina in vivo. We demonstrate that E- and N-cadherins mediate apical adhesion between retina epithelial cells. Differential expression of N-cadherin within a sub-group of retinal cells (cone cells) causes them to form an overall shape that minimizes their surface contact with surrounding cells. The cells within this group, in both normal and experimentally manipulated conditions, pack together in the same way as soap bubbles do. The shaping of the cone cell group and packing of its components precisely imitate the physical tendency for surfaces to be minimized. Thus, simple patterned expression of N-cadherin results in a complex spatial pattern of cells owing to cellular surface mechanics.

Suggested Citation

  • Takashi Hayashi & Richard W. Carthew, 2004. "Surface mechanics mediate pattern formation in the developing retina," Nature, Nature, vol. 431(7009), pages 647-652, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:431:y:2004:i:7009:d:10.1038_nature02952
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02952
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature02952
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/nature02952?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Haque, Ruhul A.I. & Mitra, Atish J. & Tarafdar, Sujata & Dutta, Tapati, 2023. "Evolution of polygonal crack patterns in mud when subjected to repeated wetting–drying cycles," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:431:y:2004:i:7009:d:10.1038_nature02952. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.