🧬 Exciting new preprint from the Ziegler lab, to which I contributed! The fibrocystin C-terminal domain (FPCct) suppresses Src/STAT3-driven cystogenesis in kidney epithelia—pointing to a potential therapeutic strategy for ARPKD.
👉 Read more: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Exciting news! I've recently started a new position in @katjaroeper.bsky.social lab @pdncambridge.bsky.social, University of Cambridge, working on kidney organoids.

Merry xmas! My favorite MDCK cells patterned (@alveolelab) as Xmas tree (with red blinking cells as decoration!)

This model allowed us to capture main morphological transitions in the phase-space of pressure and tension.

To validate our measurements we used a physical model of lumen surface, which takes junctional tension, hydrostatic pressure, apical surface area and membrane bending into account.

... and cortical recoil and once again, we saw striking differences:

To quantify cortical forces, we looked at apical myosin recruitment ...

Cells need to balance hydraulic and cortical forces to control lumen shape. Thus we developed a laser drainage assay to directly measure hydrostatic lumen pressure.

Lumen are key structural components of organs, functioning as compartments for fluid transport, nutrient absorption and more. Interestingly, genetic perturbations of the paracellular diffusion barriers or the junctional scaffolds have very different effects on lumen morphology

How do cells control the lumen shape and size? Check out our combined work from the
Honigmann_Lab
and
RivelineLab
where we look at the mechanical role of #TightJunctions in #lumen formation: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...