Extraembryonic assistance and stress: computational and experimental investigations of new developmental mechanisms
Pavuluri, Ananya G.
2022
-
A great deal remains unknown about the mechanisms that underlie morphogenesis. Both endogenous pathways and external cues have an important role in the control of growth and form. In many species, organismal density is a contributing factor to morphological changes. Morphological remodeling based on the population of conspecifics in ones environment is seen in several species of fish, insects such ... read moreas locusts, flatworms, and many other animals. Moreover, the phenomena of “stress buffering” shows that existing in a collective dampens individual response to stressors. In this study, we investigate the role of conspecific density on morphogenesis by observing how groups of Xenopus laevis embryos vs isolated embryos fare in response to developmental stressors, such as chemical teratogen and mRNA microinjections. This reframes morphogenesis as emergent behavior, not only at the level of cellular networks, but also in groups of complex organisms. Our hypothesis of morphogenetic assistance against stressors in conspecific collectives provides a fascinating basis for a computational approach; thus, we propose an ECA model of such phenomena to accompany our experiments. Finally, we hope to explore the role of endogenous stress signals during morphogenesis. Several studies have shown upregulation of stress biomarkers during natural developmental transitions and during regeneration. We theorize that stress is a driving force that guides developing organisms from one stage to the next, and not being at the correct stage at a given time point is a source of endogenous stress. In other words, we hypothesize that straying from the target morphology at a given time point is a source of “stress.” To test this hypothesis, we investigate the stress marker profiles of embryos with morphological abnormalities.
Thesis (B.S.)--Tufts University, 2022.
Submitted to the Dept. of Biology.
Committee: Michael Levin.read less - ID:
- h415pr822
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
- Usage:
- Detailed Rights
