Single-cell morphometrics reveals T-box gene-dependent patterns of epithelial tension in the Second Heart field

Clara Guijarro, Solène Song, Benoit Aigouy, Raphaël Clément, Paul Villoutreix () and Robert G. Kelly ()
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Clara Guijarro: Turing Centre for Living Systems
Solène Song: Turing Centre for Living Systems
Benoit Aigouy: Turing Centre for Living Systems
Raphaël Clément: Turing Centre for Living Systems
Paul Villoutreix: Turing Centre for Living Systems
Robert G. Kelly: Turing Centre for Living Systems

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The vertebrate heart tube extends by progressive addition of epithelial second heart field (SHF) progenitor cells from the dorsal pericardial wall. The interplay between epithelial mechanics and genetic mechanisms during SHF deployment is unknown. Here, we present a quantitative single-cell morphometric analysis of SHF cells during heart tube extension, including force inference analysis of epithelial stress. Joint spatial Principal Component Analysis reveals that cell orientation and stress direction are the main parameters defining apical cell morphology and distinguishes cells adjacent to the arterial and venous poles. Cell shape and mechanical forces display a dynamic relationship during heart tube formation. Moreover, while the T-box transcription factor Tbx1 is necessary for cell orientation towards the arterial pole, activation of Tbx5 in the posterior SHF correlates with the establishment of epithelial stress and SHF deletion of Tbx5 relaxes the progenitor epithelium. Integrating findings from cell-scale feature patterning and mechanical stress provides new insights into cardiac morphogenesis.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53612-8

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