Deciphering Bio-Mechanical Drivers of Morphological Diversity in Early Animal Development

Explore the fascinating world of early animal development in this 36-minute lecture by Richard Bailleul from EMBL Heidelberg and University of Geneva. Delve into the critical mechanisms that lay the foundations for downstream developmental events, shaping animal morphology to fit diverse environments. Discover how cnidarians, with their simple body structure and symmetry, serve as excellent model systems for studying the evolution of morphogenesis. Compare the transitions in shape, cell mechanics, and gene expression during larval morphogenesis between two sea anemone species. Examine the application of a theoretical framework based on the continuum theory of active surfaces to reproduce shared and varying attributes of elongation dynamics. Gain insights into the early genetic and physical parameters driving shape changes in these animals through model predictions, shedding light on the bio-mechanical drivers of morphological diversity in early animal development.