They find an unknown geometrical figure, hidden in your cells

A Geometric Shape Unknown Escutoid was discovered and named by Spanish scientists, examining how nature envelops cells effectively during embryonic development .

When an embryo develops the tissues are folded back into complex three-dimensional forms that lead to organs. Epithelial cells are the building blocks of this process that form, for example, the outer layer of the skin. They also cover the blood vessels and organs of all animals.

These cells are hermetically bound together. To account for the curvature that occurs during embryonic development, epithelial cells were badumed to adopt cylindrical or bottle-like shapes. However, a group of scientists investigated this phenomenon and discovered that during tissue flexion, epithelial cells adopt an undescribed form that allows cells to minimize the use of energy and maximizing the stability of the package . The result is published in Nature Communications

The study is the result of a United States-European Union collaboration between the teams of Luis M. Escudero (University of Seville) and Javier Buceta (University of Lehigh). Buceta and his colleagues first made the discovery using computational models that used Voronoy's layout as a tool used in various fields to understand geometric organization. . During the modeling process, the results we saw were strange, "says Buceta. "Our model predicted that the curvature of the fabric was increasing, and the columns and shapes of the bottles were not the only forms in which the cells could grow. To our surprise, the extra shape did not even have a name! has the opportunity to name a new form.

The group named the new form escutoid because of its resemblance to the scutellum, the posterior part of a thorax or d # 39; a median section of an insect. To verify the predictions of the model, the group studied the three-dimensional packaging of different tissues in different animals.Experimental data confirmed that cells epithelial adopted patterns and three-dimensional packaging patterns similar to those predicted by the computational model.

Using biophysical approaches, the team argues that escutoids stabilizes packaging in three dimensions and make it energy efficient.As Buceta says: "We have unlocked the solution of nature to achieve effective epithelial flexion." Their findings could pave the way for understanding n of the three-dimensional organization of epithelial organs and lead to advances in tissue engineering.

Buceta adds: "For example, if you are looking to grow artificial organs, this discovery could help you build a scaffold to encourage this type of packaging of cells imitating precisely how nature develops tissues effectively. "

FM