biostudies-literatureUnknownPerez-Verdugo FWellcome TrustNIGMS NIH HHSCell patterning is essential for organized tissue development, enabling precise geometric arrangement of cells, body axis establishment and developmental timing. Here we investigate the role of physical forces and mechanical cues in organizing and maintaining cell morphological patterns during hindbrain neuropore closure, a critical morphogenetic event in vertebrate development. Through live-imaging in mouse embryos and cell-based biophysical modeling, we demonstrate that active cell crawling and actomyosin purse-string contraction at the neuropore border are insufficient to account for the observed cellular arrangements in space and time. Instead, mechanosensitive feedback between cellular stress, shape, and nematic alignment is required to establish and maintain cell morphological patterbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2024.11.21.624679https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11601649biostudies-literatureSelf-organized cell patterning via mechanical feedback in hindbrain neuropore morphogenesis.PMC11601649211112/Z/18/ZR35 GM143042Perez-Verdugo FGalea GLBanerjee SManiou EfalseSelf-organized cell patterning via mechanical feedback in hindbrain neuropore morphogenesis.Cell patterning is essential for organized tissue development, enabling precise geometric arrangement of cells, body axis establishment and developmental timing. Here we investigate the role of physical forces and mechanical cues in organizing and maintaining cell morphological patterns during hindbrain neuropore closure, a critical morphogenetic event in vertebrate development. Through live-imaging in mouse embryos and cell-based biophysical modeling, we demonstrate that active cell crawling and actomyosin purse-string contraction at the neuropore border are insufficient to account for the observed cellular arrangements in space and time. Instead, mechanosensitive feedback between cellular stress, shape, and nematic alignment is required to establish and maintain cell morphological patter2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Nov2025-04-04T01:20:46.261Z2025-04-04T01:20:46.261ZS-EPMC116016493960558310.1101/2024.11.21.624679