Cell division is a key mechanism in morphogenesis, yet the relationship between local cell division and global tissue architecture (e.g., the distribution of cell shapes) remains poorly understood. In this study (Nagpal et al., doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000412), the authors present a computational framework for studying the topological networks that are created by proliferative cell division (image). This framework reveals how different cell division mechanisms create strikingly different "signature" tissue statistics, which can be used to infer necessary division properties. The model also suggests that while nearly identical cell shape distributions have been observed in proliferating plant and fruitfly epithelia, they achieve this by distinct cell division mechanisms.

Image Credit: Ankit Patel, Radhika Nagpal (Harvard University).