Genetically engineered ESC-derived embryos reveal Vinculin-dependent force responses required for mammalian neural tube closure.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial sheets build complex structures by converting mechanical forces into changes in cell and tissue organization. During neural tube closure, the neural plate dynamically remodels to produce a closed tube that provides the structural foundation for the developing brain and spinal cord. How cells maintain epithelial integrity despite the forces required for tissue morphogenesis during neural tube closure is not understood. We show that mechanical forces are upregulated during cranial neural tube closure in the mouse embryo and recruit the force-sensitive protein Vinculin to adherens junctions. Leveraging a genetically engineered embryonic stem cell-based pipeline to efficiently generate mutant embryos, we show that Vinculin mutants produce mechanical forces correctly but fail

SUBMITTER: Prudhomme IS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12767355 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature