Dresden 2009 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 8: Developmental Processes
BP 8.11: Vortrag
Dienstag, 24. März 2009, 12:45–13:00, HÜL 186
Dynamics of Polar and Hexagonal Order in Developing Epithelia — •Reza Farhadifar1, Benoit Aigouy2, Douglas B. Staple1, Jens Roeper2, Andreas Sanger2, Suzanne Eaton2, and Frank Jülicher1 — 1MPI-PKS, Dresden, Germany — 2MPI-CBG, Dresden, Germany
Planar cell polarity (PCP) is a tissue-level phenomenon that coordinates cell behavior in epithelia, which are two-dimensional tissues. A particular example of planar cell polarity at work is revealed in the orientation pattern of hairs, which form on the wing of the fruit fly Drosophila. Planar polarity is established by a molecular organization that includes an asymmetric distribution of PCP proteins within cells. The distribution of these proteins in a given cell determines of the polarity of neighboring cells. At the end of wing development, a specific pattern of PCP orientational order is established. We present a theoretical study of planar polarity in developing epithelia based on a vertex model, which can account for cell shape and cell mechanics. The distribution of PCP molecules along cell boundaries as well as their interactions with neighboring cells are captured in a coarse grained description. We identify a basic mechanism by which long-range correlations throughout the tissue can be established. We furthermore study the role of quasi-static shear deformations. In the presence of shear, the polarity of the tissue reorients. In addition, hexagonal order emerges under these conditions. These physical mechanisms for ordering can account for the processes observed during development of the Drosophila wing.