Epithelial sealing is a fundamental process occurring during animal development and tissue repair. During this process, mechanical forces are coordinated in order to rearrange biological tissues and ensure a perfect sealing of the epithelium. The mechanisms at the origin of the generation and regulation of these forces during development and wound healing to ensure correct cell positioning and tissue shaping remain elusive. Using Drosophila as a model system, my group is interested in understanding the principles underlying the control of epithelial sealing during embryogenesis and during tissue repair. Here, I will start by presenting how tissue respond to mechanical stretch during tissue sealing in embryonic development. I will highlight the similarities between processes of tissue sealing in development and wound healing. I will then show new results on how the mechanics of sealing is impacted by the size of the gap and present a quantitative model of epithelial mechanics and sealing during wound healing. Finally, I will show how cells can sense mechanical changes occurring during wound generation and how they actively respond to these dramatic tensional changes. I will particularly focus on how wound generation affect chromatin and nuclear architecture and, as a consequence, how changes in chromatin architecture can impact cellular mechanics. 

If you would like to attend the seminar, please register here.