Spatio-temporal control of growth and morphogenesis
Seminar organized by Jean-Paul Vincent and Yohanns Bellaïche from 5th to 10th of May, 2025.
Participants
Can AZTEKIN (Max Planck Institute for Biology – Tübingen, Allemagne), Guillaume CHARRAS (University College London – Londres, Royaume-Uni), Julia CORDERO (University of Glasgow – Glasgow, Royaume-Uni), Arthur LANDER (University of California – Irvine, États-Unis), Pierre LEOPOLD (Institut Curie – Paris, France), Rita MATEUS (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Institute of Science and Technology – Vienne, Autriche), Irene MIGUEL-ALIAGA (Francis Crick Institute – Londres, Royaume-Uni), Eugenia PIDDINI (University of Bristol – Bristol, Royaume-Uni), Nicoletta PETRIDOU (EMBL – Heidelberg, Allemagne), Rashmi PRIYA (Francis Crick Institute – Londres, Royaume-Uni), Olivier POURQUIE (Harvard University – Boston, États-Unis), Guillaume SALBREUX (Université de Genève – Genève, Suisse), Amy SHYER (Rockefeller University – New York, États-Unis), Nicolas TAPON (Francis Crick Institute – Londres, Royaume-Uni), Danijela VIGNEJIC (Institut Curie – Paris, France), Jean-Paul VINCENT (Francis Crick Institute – Londres, Royaume-Uni).

Mouvements Cellulaires au cours de la morphogenèse de l’aile de drosophile. Cell flow during Drosophila wing morphogenesis. Crédits: Baptiste Tesson
Résumé
Comment les organes contrôlent leur taille et leur forme est une question fondamentale en biologie, avec implications majeures pour la recherche sur le cancer. Dix-neuf chercheurs, expérimentalistes et théoriciens, se sont réunis aux Treilles pour partager leurs résultats sur le contrôle spatio-temporel de la croissance et de la morphogenèse. Les discussions ont montré que les signaux biochimiques et mécaniques sont intégrés pour assurer la reproductibilité du développement, l’homéostasie et la régénération des tissus. S’appuyant sur les résultats obtenus dans un large éventail de systèmes in vitro et in vivo, les présentations ont porté sur trois grands thèmes : (i) les principes fondamentaux régissant la régulation du nombre de cellules et le contrôle de la taille de l’organisme ; (ii) l’interaction entre le choix du destin cellulaire, les forces mécaniques et la morphogenèse; et (iii) l’émergence de propriétés biologiques clés, notamment la capacité de régénération, l’adaptation à l’échelle et la robustesse. L’ensemble des discussions a souligné l’importance d’étudier la croissance et la morphogenèse à différentes échelles – de la dynamique subcellulaire à la communication inter-organes.
Summary
Understanding how organs control their size and shape is an outstanding question in biology, with far-reaching implications for cancer research. In recent years, major conceptual and technical advances have emerged from studies exploring how biochemical and mechanical signals integrate to regulate tissue development, homeostasis, and regeneration. Nineteen researchers, experimentalists and theorists, gathered at Les Treilles to discuss recent progress in deciphering the spatiotemporal control of growth and morphogenesis. Drawing on findings from a wide range of in vitro and in vivo systems, the presentations focused on three major themes: (i) the fundamental principles governing cell number regulation and organismal size control; (ii) the interplay between patterning, mechanical forces, and tissue morphogenesis; and (iii) the emergence of key biological properties, including regenerative capacity, size scaling, and robustness. Taken together, the discussions highlighted the importance of investigating growth and morphogenesis across multiple scales —from subcellular dynamics to inter-organ communication.
Size and Cell Number Control Mechanisms and Their Roles
Although numerous molecular regulators of cell proliferation and growth have been identified, the general principles by which cells and tissues stop proliferating, modulate their growth, or adapt their dynamics to environmental cues during homeostasis remain incompletely understood. Addressing these questions requires the integration of theoretical frameworks with experimental approaches.
From a theoretical perspective, the meeting explored how negative feedback mechanisms constrain tissue growth. In particular, it was emphasized that the spatial propagation of growth-inhibitory signals can limit the strength and range of negative feedback control. Such spatial limitations may be exploited by tumors to evade growth constraints, thereby weakening tissue-level regulation. We also discussed several mechanisms that adjust growth rate in developmental and homoeostatic contexts. During development, robust regulatory circuits involving both morphogen, mechanical forces and inter-organ communication ensure precise tissue size and growth termination. In addition, adaptive growth in response to changes in physiology or environment highlights the importance of metabolic control. Also discussed were mechanisms that confer competitive advantages to specific cell populations. The concept of local cell crowding was presented as a framework to explain how mechanical constraints can restrict tumor expansion. Lastly, we considered the coordination of cell cycle progression within a tissue and the role of gap junction–mediated cell–cell communication in this context. New findings also showed that variation in cell cycle progression can influence tissue mechanical properties and regulate the onset of embryonic morphogenesis.
Patterning and Shape
Tissue patterning depends on extracellular signaling by morphogens as well as on the activity of so-called selector genes, such as HOX genes, which define tissue compartments or segments. A central challenge in morphogen research is to understand how they spread through tissues and establish robust signaling gradients. One presentation showed that glycosaminoglycans enable Wnt proteins, which are insoluble, to signal at a distance from their source. The role of Hox genes was discussed in the context of somitogenesis. Although Hox genes have traditionally been viewed primarily as determinants of segment identity, emerging evidence suggests they may also contribute more directly to somite formation and local cell organization, notably through regulation of retinoic acid signaling.
Beyond patterning, morphogenesis critically relies on mechanical forces. The mechanisms linking biochemical signaling to force generation were discussed with the aim of achieving a more quantitative understanding of how signaling pathways modulate cell contractility and adhesion, and how their interplay reshapes cell–cell contacts. A general theoretical framework for epithelial morphogenesis was established to describe how force balance and constitutive equations for active materials govern tissue morphology. Such an approach defines so called mechanical modules whose behaviour across evolutionary contexts may account for the diversity of biological forms. Finally, strong emphasis was placed on understanding how mechanical and signaling processes cooperate at the cellular and tissue scales. Examples drawn from limb bud and heart development illustrated how multiscale integration contributes to morphogenesis. Collectively, the discussions showed that, although many molecular regulators of patterning and morphogenesis have been identified, a major challenge remains: to disentangle how cell fate specification is coupled to tissue morphogenesis and to determine how cell- and tissue-level regulatory mechanisms interact to produce complex biological shapes.
Scaling, Robustness and Robustness
Since the seminal transplantation experiments of Spemann and Mangold, it has been clear that developmental processes are remarkably robust to variations in size. These foundational findings culminated in the formulation of the French flag model, which provided a conceptual framework to explain size invariance in pattern formation. Developmental systems are likewise robust to noise and environmental fluctuations. Understanding scaling and robustness during development and regeneration remains a fundamental challenge. Both experimental and theoretical approaches—using classical model organisms as well as organoid systems— are taken to investigate how biological systems achieve size-invariance and robustness. At the meeting, discussions focused on how collective cell movements scale with tissue dimensions, and how robustness arise from long-range mechanical interactions between stem cell niches and their surrounding domains. Mechanisms ensuring the robustness of tissue growth were also explored in the context of left–right symmetry and appendage development. Finally, regeneration was examined from multiple perspectives. Mechanical forces were shown to be key drivers of tissue regeneration. Emphasis was also given on metabolic regulation—particularly oxygen availability—and on inter-organ communication as critical determinants of regenerative capacity. Collectively, the discussions suggested that exploring the interplay between genetic patterning, mechanical forces, and metabolism will provide essential insights into how developmental systems achieve scaling, robustness, and regeneration.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
ldiebold (10 mars 2026). Spatio-temporal control of growth and morphogenesis. Les carnets de la Fondation des Treilles. Consulté le 23 avril 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/15ug9

