Mechano-sensitive feedback leads to morphological bistability in intestinal organoids

Abstract

We have tested key modelling assumptions of intestinal organoid morphogenesis via biophysical and pharmacological experiments. We have found that mechano-sensitive feedback on cytoskeletal tension gives rise to morphological bistability, and that the same mechanical perturbation can have drastically different effects on morphogenesis depending on the timing of application. This multicellular bistability can provide robustness to developmental systems.