title: Fluid flows and forces in development: functions, features and biophysical principles.
abstract: Throughout morphogenesis, cells experience intracellular tensile and contractile forces on microscopic scales. Cells also experience extracellular forces, such as static forces mediated by the extracellular matrix and forces resulting from microscopic fluid flow. Although the biological ramifications of static forces have received much attention, little is known about the roles of fluid flows and forces during embryogenesis. Here, we focus on the microfluidic forces generated by cilia-driven fluid flow and heart-driven hemodynamics, as well as on the signaling pathways involved in flow sensing. We discuss recent studies that describe the functions and the biomechanical features of these fluid flows. These insights suggest that biological flow determines many aspects of cell behavior and identity through a specific set of physical stimuli and signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.forename: Jacky G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: Kent L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vermot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009024:Morphogenesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D015027:Zebrafish