Interphase cell morphology defines the mode, symmetry, and outcome of mitosis
During tissue formation, dynamic cell shape changes drive morphogenesis while asymmetric divisions create cellular diversity. We found that the shifts in cell morphology that shape tissues could concomitantly act as conserved instructive cues that trigger asymmetric division and direct core identity decisions underpinning tissue building. We performed single-cell morphometric analyses of endothelial and other mesenchymal-like cells. Distinct morphological changes switched cells to an "isomorphic" mode of division, which preserved pre-mitotic morphology throughout mitosis. In isomorphic divisions, interphase morphology appeared to provide a geometric code defining mitotic symmetry, fate determinant partitioning, and daughter state. Rab4-positive endosomes recognized this code, allowing them to respond to pre-mitotic morphology and segregate determinants accordingly. Thus, morphogenetic shape change sculpts tissue form while also generating cellular heterogeneity, thereby driving tissue assembly.
Authors
- Damian Dalle Nogare
- Shane P. Herbert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2517-1845)
- Richard L. Mort (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3566-8217)
- Christoph Ballestrem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5375-7985)
- Claudia Linker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2028-6109)
- Marta Giralt‐Pujol (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8543-2103)
- Cláudio A. Franco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2861-3883)
- Ajay Chitnis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6423-6624)
- Sabrina Ghadaouia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3334-2256)
- Cerys Manning (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8656-5878)
- Katie Bentley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9391-659X)
- Guilherme Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2313-3319)
- Andreia Pena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1668-0891)
- Gareth Wyn Jones (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6218-0367)
- Christopher K. Revell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9646-2888)
- Zain Alhashem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8320-3836)
- Georgia E. Hulmes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3975-6409)
- Holly E. Lovegrove (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2521-696X)
- Ellen Appleton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8735-3700)
Institutions
- Boston University (US)
- Queen's University Belfast (GB)
- University of Leeds (GB)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- King's College London (GB)
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa (PT)
- The Francis Crick Institute (GB)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Yale University (US)
- Human Technopole (IT)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (US)
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (GB)
- Lancaster University (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science
- Published
- 2025-05-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adu9628
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.06