Overview

• Sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) use internal friction to undergo developmental changes after conception, according to a study from the Heisenberg group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA).
• The study found that upon fertilization, friction forces play a crucial role in reshaping and reorganizing the insides of the oocytes, leading to the next steps in their developmental cascade.
• The researchers discovered that increased tension in the actomyosin cortex, a dynamic structure found beneath the cell membrane, causes it to contract and move, resulting in the initial changes of the cell's shape.
• When the actomyosin movement stops, the friction forces also disappear, leading to the expansion of the contraction pole, a bell-like protrusion where essential materials gather that facilitate the embryo's maturation.
• The study provides new insights into how mechanical forces determine cell and organismal shape, showing that friction forces are pivotal for shaping and forming an evolving organism.