Quantitative approaches to uncover physical mechanisms of tissue morphogenesis

•Physical forces and the mechanical environment generate tissue form.•A series of tools are used to quantify cellular motions, deformations, and forces.•Imaging and cell tracking advancements define the kinetics of morphogenesis.•Invertebrate and culture models elucidate cellular forces that drive morphogenesis.•Computational models describe and predict experimentally observed behaviors.

Morphogenesis, the creation of tissue and organ architecture, is a series of complex and dynamic processes driven by genetic programs, microenvironmental cues, and intercellular interactions. Elucidating the physical mechanisms that generate tissue form is key to understanding development, disease, and the strategies needed for regenerative therapies. Advancements in imaging technologies, genetic recombination techniques, laser ablation, and microfabricated tissue models have enabled quantitative descriptions of the cellular motions and tissue deformations and stresses with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. Using these data synergistically with increasingly more sophisticated physical, mathematical, and computational models will unveil the physical mechanisms that drive morphogenesis.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (127 K)Download as PowerPoint slide