Patterning and folding of intestinal villi by active mesenchymal dewetting.

ABSTRACT: Tissue folds are structural motifs critical to organ function. In the intestine, bending of a flat epithelium into a periodic pattern of folds gives rise to villi, finger-like protrusions that enable nutrient absorption. However, the molecular and mechanical processes driving villus morphogenesis remain unclear. Here, we identify an active mechanical mechanism that simultaneously patterns and folds the intestinal epithelium to initiate villus formation. At the cellular level, we find that PDGFRA+ subepithelial mesenchymal cells generate myosin II-dependent forces sufficient to produce patterned curvature in neighboring tissue interfaces. This symmetry-breaking process requires altered cell and extracellular matrix interactions that are enabled by matrix metalloproteinase-mediated tissue fl

SUBMITTER: Huycke TR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11166531 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature