We are pleased to announce our next PoL Research Se minar with a talk by Kristian Franze from FAU University of Erlangen-Nuremberg\, the Max Planck Zentrum für Physik und Medizin\, a nd the University of Cambridge
When? &\;nbsp\;We
dnesday\, 28. January 2026\, 11:00 am
Where? BCUBE\, E
73-E75
Abstract:
During development\, cells are highly dynamic and respond to a plethora of chemical and mechanical si gnal in their environment.&\;nbsp\; During brain morphogenesis\, for ex ample\, neurons extend axons over large distances along well-defined pathw ays. Axon pathfinding is regulated by both gradients of chemical guidance cues and gradients in tissue stiffness. However\, we currently know very l ittle about how these signals interact. Using a combination of ex vivo and in vivo&\;nbsp\;approaches\, we identified the mechanose nsitive ion channel Piezo1 as a key integrator of chemical and mechanical signals. Downregulation of Piezo1 in the brain parenchyma surrounding heal thy growing axons led to aberrant neuronal growth patterns with reduced fa sciculation and pathfinding errors. We found a decrease in both the chemic al guidance cues Semaphorin3A and Slit1 and brain stiffness. While the sti ffness of cells was unaffected\, cell-cell adhesion was significantly redu ced\, leading to a fluidization of the tissue. Whereas a decrease in chemi cal guidance cues did not lead to tissue softening\, tissue softening led to a decrease in guidance cues. Hence\, tissue stiffness not only directly impacts neuronal growth but also indirectly by regulating the availabilit y of long-range chemical guidance cues far away from the actual mechanical signal in the surrounding tissue. Our data thus strongly indicate that ch emical and mechanical signaling pathways are intimately linked\, and that their interaction is crucial for morphogenetic events.&\;nbsp\;
DTSTAMP:20260607T054824Z CREATED:20260128T063906Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T063906Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR