Savannah Makowski, “Experimental Methods to Identify Biomechanical Stresses During Brain Morphogenesis”
Mentor: Jennifer Gutzman, Biological Sciences
Poster #120

Birth defects of the brain can cause physical or mental impairments. The effect they exert on an individual may vary from minor neurological effects to substantial disability or premature mortality. Hense, grasping the factors that influence the establishment of correct tissue structure during development is crucial for disease prevention and treatment. There has been extensive research into the biochemical pathways that are required to shape the brain; however, not as much is understood regarding the biomechanical mechanisms. Using transparent zebrafish embryos, we are investigating the biomechanical mechanisms that regulate morphogenesis of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB). The MHB is a tissue fold in the neural tube that is highly conserved in all vertebrates, making it an ideal model to discover biomechanical mechanisms that mediate morphogenesis. Using laminin-111 zebrafish mutants, and the localization of a mechanosensory protein vinculin as a marker for tissue stress and force, we are investigating the role of the basement membrane in MHB tissue folding. We microinject green fluorescent protein (GFP) -tagged vinculin into laminin-111 mutant progeny and use live confocal imaging to identify GFP-vinculin localization in wildtype siblings and laminin-111 mutants. Our preliminary data indicate that vinculin is enriched in the basal edge of the neuroepithelium, suggesting there is more tissue stress and force located in this region compared to wildtype embryos. Uncovering the biomechanical mechanisms required for brain morphogenesis will greatly enhance our comprehension of previously unexplored mechanisms underlying congenital morphological disorders.