Topic: Actin

Tissue folding is a ubiquitous shape change event during development whereby a cell sheet bends into a curved 3D structure. This mechanical process is remarkably robust, and the correct final form is almost always achieved despite internal fluctuations and external perturbations inherent in living systems. While many genetic and molecular strategies that lead to robust development have been established, much less is known about how mechanical patterns and movements are ensured at the population level. I will describe how quantitative imaging, physical modeling and concepts from network science

Most materials deform when external stresses are applied. This paradigm is familiar to sculptors who deform clay to produce structures. However, living materials such as cells and embryos are capable of deforming on their own. Contractile active gels of the proteins actin and myosin are one of the main drivers of force generation in biology. Here I will present experiments that characterize the length-scale behavior of active gel contraction, which find evidence for critical behavior. I will then present experiments that characterize the dynamics of active gel contraction, which identify dynam