Embryonic epithelial tissues undergo major structural remodeling to shape the bodies and organs of living organisms during development
Convergent extension is a common morphogenetic motif in developing embryonic epithelial tissues, demonstrated here in the Drosophila germband epithelium (movie courtesy of Andrew Countryman and Karen Kasza).
Live imaging of the Drosophila lateral ectoderm during gastrulation makes it possible to quantify the links between cell and tissue geometry changes over multiple length and time scales (movies courtesy of Karen Kasza).
Epithelial morphogenesis is mediated by dynamic cell shape changes and cell rearrangements
Reconstructions of mouse neuroepithelial cells tracked through time make it possible to study dynamic cell shape changes and cell rearrangements underlying tissue remodeling in unprecedented detail (from Ostvar+ 2025; live imaging data courtesy of Ann Sutherland).
Our work combines 4D imaging and novel reconstruction algorithms to resolve remodeling cell-cell contacts in unprecedented detail
growing interface
Images of remodeling interfaces during T1 transitions in the Drosophila germband epithelium from https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.04.29.591620
Precise measurements of multiscale morphodynamics help uncover the organizing principles of epithelial tissue morphogenesis
shrinking interface
