Dynamics and Mechanics of Zebrafish Embryonic Tissues: Physical Properties of Cells and Tissues and Their Dynamics During Embryogenesis

Embryonic development, the rise of a complex multicellular organism from a single fertilized egg, is a fascinating process that is still poorly understood. How is it possible for cells, all originating from the same egg, to develop into a variety of highly specialized structures, such as muscles, skin, brain and limbs? What organizes cell dynamics, and how can the information encoded in the DNA account for the observed developmental processes? The complex cell rearrangements and tissue dynamics taking place during embryogenesis have to be robust against environmental changes, suggesting that generic physical mechanisms may play an important role. In the here presented work, a set of different experimental methods was applied to investigate the mechanical and dynamical properties of zebrafish embryonic cells and tissues. Differences in the migratory behavior of different cell types are presented and, where possible, related to their mechanical properties. This study aims at students at the interface of physics/mechanics and biology. Being interdisciplinary in nature, it is accessible for both physicists and biologists.