Mauricio Martins Rocha (Institute Gulbenkian | IGC, Portugal)

How embryos build healthy organs: Coordination and self-correction of tissue morphogenesis

Host: Stefan Luschnig

Embryos construct complex organs with remarkable precision. How cells adapt and work together to confer robustness to organ formation remains a significant knowledge gap. In this seminar, I will discuss how we employ quantitative imaging of zebrafish embryos and human organoids to shed light on the ways by which tissues coordinate diverse cellular behaviors to safeguard organ formation. I will present our recent findings on a non-canonical type of neuronal migration that prevents spatial competition between cells in the vertebrate retina. The kinetics and cytoskeletal machinery involved in these neuronal movements along with their crucial role in maintaining tissue integrity will be discussed. Furthermore, I will share how we are extending this research to explore how embryos can naturally correct common developmental defects (e.g., uncontrolled cell loss), thereby ensuring the formation of healthy organisms even under adverse conditions.

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