Dresden 2026 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 3: Tissue Mechanics I
BP 3.4: Vortrag
Montag, 9. März 2026, 10:30–10:45, BAR/0205
Apical extracellular matrix regulates fold morphogenesis in the Drosophila wing disc — •Vincenzo Maria Schimmenti1, Jana F. Fuhrmann2, Natalie A. Dye3, 4, and Marko Popovic1 — 1Max Planck Institute for Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany — 2Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, Marseille, France — 3Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore — 4Biomedical Engineering Department, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Tissue folding is a fundamental process in animal organ development. We investigate how fold shape and mechanics change during Drosophila wing disc morphogenesis, from larval stages (when folds deepen and grow) to early pupa, when the tissue unfolds into a bilayer. Using 3D apical surface segmentation, we introduce quantitative metrics for fold depth and width on a curved surface. We also identify a fibrous apical extracellular matrix (aECM) that physically links the two sides of each fold. A lateral vertex model with an adhesive aECM layer predicts that unfolding requires aECM removal. Genetic perturbations confirm that aECM adhesion stabilizes folds: its loss distorts fold shape and dynamics, while failure to remove it prevents unfolding. These perturbations produce adult wing defects, demonstrating that larval fold morphology influences adult wing shape. Together, our work highlights a central mechanical role for aECM in stabilizing epithelial folds during animal development.
Keywords: Drosophila; Apical ECM; Segmentation; Curved surfaces; Vertex Midel