Order from chaos: How mechanics shape epithelia and promote self-organization

Abstract

Collective cell behaviors are essential for the shape and function of tissues. The last decades have provided unequivocal experimental evidence that tissue mechanics are key drivers of morphogenesis. In particular, the spatiotemporal coordination of cellular contractility, adhesion and volume regulation can drive morphogenetic events in various epithelia. At the same time, the epithelial sheets themselves have remarkable mechanical properties, being able to distribute mechanical stress throughout the whole material to resist the physical deformations necessary for their function. In this review, we address recent findings on epithelia morphogenesis and mechanical resistance and highlight the importance of quantitative new approaches for achieving novel understanding.