The importance of mechanical constraints for proper polarization and psuedo-cleavage furrow generation in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006294
• Publication Date: 2018-07-09T17:22:44Z
• Authors: Betül Senay Aras; Y. C. Zhou; Adriana Dawes; Ching-Shan Chou
• Keywords: Cell polarity; Cell Cortex; Cleavage furrow

Intracellular polarization, where a cell specifies spatial axis by segregation of specific factors, is fundamental biological process. In the early embryo nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), polarization often accompanied deformations cortex, highly contractile structure consisting actin filaments cross-linked motor protein myosin (actomyosin). It has been suggested that eggshell surrounding plays role in although its function not understood. Here we develop mathematical model which couples reaction-diffusion actomyosin dynamics with phase field cortex to implicitly track shape changes C. embryo. We investigate potential rigidity effect geometric constraint imposed presence and size on dynamics. Our suggests essential for proper also affects polarization. Therefore, conclude might affect biochemical