Anti-correlation of cell volumes and cell-cycle times during the embryogenesis of a simple model organism. (6th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fickentscher, Rolf; Krauss, Sebastian W; Weiss, Matthias
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 20:Number 11(2018:Nov.)
• Publication Date: 2018-11-06
• Subjects: developmental biophysics -- quantitative fluorescence imaging -- light-sheet microscopy -- self-organization and pattern formation; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/aaea91
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: Organizing cell divisions in an embryo, especially coordinating cell cycles across larger distances, is of crucial importance for the development of an animal. Here we show that cell-cycle times and cell volumes are anti-correlated during all phases of embryogenesis in the simple model organism Caenorhabditis elegans . By revisiting and significantly extending a previously proposed model, based on a limiting component, we arrive at a quantitative agreement with the experimental data for all stages of embryogenesis. The model not only rationalizes the average anti-correlation but also captures most of the cell-to-cell variations observed in experiments. Our findings suggest that inter-cell communication may not be mandatory to coordinate cell-cycle times in the embryogenesis of C. elegans . Rather, cells in this simple organism might decide autonomously about the next mitosis event by estimating their own volume via a limiting component. Together with several asymmetric cell divisions, a rather homogenous distribution of cell sizes is obtained at the onset of gastrulation, hence facilitating the inward motion of cells during subsequent stages of development.