Summary of the science
The mesoderm is one of the first structures formed during early embryonic development. It gives rise to various important tissues, including muscles, bones, blood vessels, and the urogenital system, playing a vital role in shaping the body's structure. During mouse mesoderm development, various genetic oscillators, like internal clocks, are responsible for regulating the timing and pattern formation in the developing mesoderm. They work together to organise themselves properly and create a synchronised sequence of events, much like an orchestra playing in harmony. Understanding how these genetic oscillators self-organise helps us comprehend the intricate process of embryo development and how different parts of the body take shape at the right time and place.
About the research
The Aulehla lab focuses on the temporal aspect of embryonic development and the role of genetic oscillators in patterning. They investigate how time is measured and controlled during embryonic development, the signals that regulate timing, and how embryonic oscillators are involved in patterning. The lab uses novel methodologies, such as real-time reporter mouse lines generated using knock-in technology, to visualise and quantify temporal dynamics in mouse embryonic development. They specifically study the somite segmentation clock and its impact on signaling pathways in the developing mesoderm. They have also developed an ex vivo assay to study mesoderm patterning in a simplified culture system.
About the illustration
Alexander Aulehla's lab uses the mouse embryo as their model organism, so this was made the centre point of the image. We represented the genetic oscillators as an oscillating line curving around the embryo, with black and white coloured curves indicating the two deviations from the baseline intensity of the oscillations. The somites, important structures formed from the mesoderm, are shown as black lines.