Silvanus Alt

TL;DR: Various formulations of vertex models that have been proposed for describing tissues in two and three dimensions are reviewed, a generic formulation using a virtual work differential is discussed, and applications of vertices to biological morphogenetic processes are reviewed.

TL;DR: It is found that ectopic expression of transcription factors that specify cell fates causes abnormal epithelial cysts in Drosophila imaginal discs and increased interface contractility functions as error correction mechanism eliminating single aberrant cells from tissues, but failure leads to the formation of large, potentially disease-promoting cysts.

TL;DR: It is shown in the pancreas of mice that the morphology of epithelial tumours is determined by the interplay of cytoskeletal changes in transformed cells and the existing tubular geometry, and identifies tension imbalance and tissue curvature as fundamental determinants of epithel tumorigenesis.

TL;DR: It is shown that a local decrease of basal tension and an increased lateral tension, but not apical constriction, drive the formation of two neighboring folds in developing Drosophila wing imaginal discs.

TL;DR: It is shown that elongation of the wings and legs of Drosophila involves a columnar-to-cuboidal cell shape change that reduces cell height and expands cell width and dynamic changes in actomyosin contractility are induced to drive epithelial morphogenesis in three dimensions.