Size-dependent temporal decoupling of morphogenesis and transcriptional programs in pseudoembryos.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the interplay between cell fate specification and morphogenetic changes remains a challenge in developmental biology. Gastruloids, stem cell models of postimplantation mammalian development, provide a platform to address this question. Here, using quantitative live imaging and transcriptomic profiling, we show that physical parameters, particularly system size, affect morphogenetic timing and outcomes. Larger gastruloids exhibit delayed symmetry breaking, increased multipolarity, and prolonged axial elongation, with morphogenesis driven by size. Despite these variations, transcriptional programs and cell fate composition remain stable across a broad size range, illustrating the scaling of gene expression domains. In particular, extreme sizes show distinct transcriptional modu

SUBMITTER: Bennabi I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12372888 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature