Ahmed, H. N. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2026

Ependymomas are cancers of the pre-neural crest/roof plate lineage

Distinct molecular variants of the brain cancer ependymoma are distributed along the rostral-caudal extent of the central nervous system (CNS). Historically proposed to arise from ventricular ependyma, recent studies have suggested conflicting cellular origins, including the neural radial glia and the roof plate lineages. Using single-cell transcriptomics, immunohistochemistry, and lineage tracing, we demonstrate that ependymomas across all CNS compartments transcriptionally mirror MSX1+ve pre-neural crest/roof plate (Pre-NC/RP) lineage derivatives. Ependymoma subgroups recapitulate the spatial and molecular diversity of regional Pre-NC/RP populations, while retaining conserved MSX1 expression. Expression of the oncogenic fusion ZFTA-RELA within the murine Pre-NC/RP lineage generated tumors that faithfully resembled human ependymoma. These findings identify a common embryonic cellular origin for ependymomas and reconcile previously conflicting models of tumorigenesis.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Physical constraints on growth dynamics guide C. elegans developmental trajectories and animal shape

Growth control establishes organism size, requiring mechanisms to sense and adjust growth during development. Studies of single cells revealed that size homeostasis uses distinct control methods. In multicellular organisms, mechanisms that regulate single cell growth must integrate control across organs and tissues during development to generate adult size and shape. We leveraged the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans as a scalable and tractable model to collect precise growth measurements of thousands of individuals, measure feeding behavior, and quantify changes in animal size and shape during a densely sampled developmental time course. As animals transitioned from one developmental stage to the next, we observed changes in body aspect ratio while body volume remained constant. Then, we modeled a physical mechanism by which constraints on cuticle stretch could cause changes in C. elegans body shape. The model-predicted shape changes are consistent with those observed in the data. Theoretically, cuticle stretch could be sensed by the animal to initiate larval-stage transitions, providing a means for physical constraints to influence developmental timing and growth rate in C. elegans. HighlightsO_LIBody size measurements of thousands of animals in a dense developmental time course C_LIO_LIGrowth rate exhibits nonlinear dynamics in both length and width C_LIO_LIChanges in body shape but not volume occur during periods of increased quiescence C_LIO_LIDynamics of animal shape consistent with a length-based threshold in cuticle stretch C_LIO_LIModeling of cuticle stretch dynamics suggests a novel mode for growth control C_LI

developmental biology↗