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For years, scientists have known that epithelial cells are essential for the development of an embryo. They form the structural tissue that then forms the outer and inner layers of the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs.
As the embryo develops, tissues bend into complex three-dimensional shapes that promote organ formation. . Researchers studying the dynamics of cells that contribute to this process have discovered a completely new geometric form.
Millions of these small cells congregate in a specific arrangement to form tissues that eventually form organs, but until now we had no idea of its exact form. Scientists have theorized that cells look like prisms or bottle-like structures
. However, this theory was revised when an international team of researchers performed laboratory tests to verify cell behavior. They used the Voronoi layout, a tool used to understand the geometric organization, and performed a series of computer simulations to closely observe the disposition of the cells
The work revealed that the cells could be safe. adapt to more complex forms than cells. described in our traditional books of mathematics.
The new form, according to the researchers, looks like an altered or crooked prism, which stands out because one of its ends has five edges and the other six. They called it "scutoid" since the structure is very similar to the scutellum or the back part of the middle segment of some insects
To check the predictions From the model, the team studied the three-dimensional packaging of different tissues in several animals. Experimental data confirmed that the epithelial cells adopted patterns and three-dimensional packaging patterns similar to those predicted by the computer model
[…] Using biophysical approaches, the team argued that the Scoids stabilize the three-dimensional packaging and make it energy efficient. 
Researchers indicate that understanding the biomechanics of cell and tissue organization could help scientists design tissues and build organs more efficiently in the laboratory.
In this regard, the researcher Javier Buceta, bioengineer "For example, if you are looking to grow artificial organs, this discovery could help you build a scaffold to encourage this type of cell packaging, imitating with Precision the way that nature develops tissues in a way "
Further study of these findings could pave the way for understanding the three-dimensional organization of epithelial organs and lead to advances in the # 39; tissue engineering, as well as the improvement of artificial organ culture methods for transplantation.] Reference: Scutoids are a geometric solution to the three-dimensional packaging of l & # 39; epithelium Nature Communications, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05376-1
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