RUI: Role of Mechanical Forces Axial Torsion and Flexure in Chick Embryos

发育中的鸡胚经历了一系列复杂的形状变化，称为形态发生。虽然形态发生的遗传和分子方面的研究很好，很少注意到的机械方面。特别是，胚胎发育过程中巨大形状变化背后的驱动力知之甚少。这个项目考虑了在早期胚胎发育过程中发生的两个经常被忽视但至关重要的形状变化：（1）身体弯曲，使最初直的胚胎体轴弯曲;（2）身体扭转，使其旋转。弯曲和扭转是心脏等重要器官正常发育所必需的。驱动屈曲和扭转的力目前尚不清楚，了解它们是本项目的目标。这项研究将培养众多的本科生在研究的各个方面。科学宣传，特别是对代表性不足的少数群体的宣传，是该项目的另一个重要方面。它包括与联合学院的正式合作？该计划将7-12年级代表性不足的少数民族和经济困难的学生引入STEM领域。结合实验和计算方法来确定驱动屈曲和扭转的力。以鸡胚为实验模型。光学显微镜和光学相干断层扫描将用于定性和定量表征所考虑的发育阶段的屈曲和扭转。原子力显微镜将用于探测屈曲和扭转区域的力学环境。化学和生物力学扰动将用于进一步研究这些过程。有限元法将用于开发计算模型，该模型将通过比较实验和模型预测的全局和局部形状变化进行验证。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

The developing chick embryo undergoes a series of complex shape changes called morphogenesis. Although the genetic and molecular aspects of morphogenesis are well-studied, scant attention is paid to the mechanical aspects. In particular, the driving forces behind the dramatic shape changes during embryo development are poorly understood. This project considers two often-overlooked, but critically important shape changes that occur during early embryo development: (1) body flexion, which curves the initially straight embryonic body axis and (2) body torsion, which rotates it. Flexion and torsion are necessary for proper development of important organs such as the heart. The forces driving flexion and torsion are not currently known and understanding them is the goal of this project. This research will train numerous undergraduate students in all aspects of research. Science outreach, particularly to under-represented minorities, is another critical aspect of this project. It includes a formal collaboration with Union College?s Science and Technology Entry Program, which introduces underrepresented minority and economically disadvantaged students in grades 7-12 to STEM fields. A combined experimental and computational approach is used to determine the forces driving flexion and torsion. The chick embryo is used as the experimental model. Light microscopy and optical coherence tomography will be used to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize flexion and torsion in the developmental stages under consideration. Atomic force microscopy will be used to probe the mechanical environment of the regions undergoing flexion and torsion. And chemical and biomechanical perturbations will be used to study these processes further. The finite element method will be used to develop the computational model which will be validated by comparing experimental and model-predicted global and local shape changes. The validated model will be used for hypothesis testing to determine the forces driving flexion and torsion.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.