Patterned invagination prevents mechanical instability during gastrulation.

ABSTRACT: Mechanical forces are crucial for driving and shaping tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development^1-3. However, their relevance for the evolution of development remains poorly understood⁴. Here we show that an evolutionary novelty of fly embryos-the patterned embryonic invagination known as the cephalic furrow^5-7-has a mechanical role during Drosophila gastrulation. By integrating in vivo experiments and in silico simulations, we demonstrate that the head-trunk boundary of the embryo is under increased compressive stress due to the concurrent formation of mitotic domains and germ band extension and that the cephalic furrow counteracts these stresses, preventing mechanical instabilities during gastrulation. Then, by comparing the genetic patterning of s

SUBMITTER: Vellutini BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12527948 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature