Numb regulates cell tension required for mammary duct elongation

Numb regulates cell tension required for mammary duct elongation

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The mammary gland undergoes extensive expansion of a ductal network through the stroma during puberty and is an excellent model for understanding epithelial southwestern aztec rug tube morphogenesis.To investigate a role for Numb, a multifaceted adapter protein, in epithelial tube morphogenesis, we conditionally deleted it from the mammary epithelium.We report that Numb-depletion results in altered extracellular-matrix organization, reduced cell tension, altered cell shape, and increased cell packing density, which results in a 50% reduction in mammary duct elongation.Using laser ablation in vitro and geometric-based cell force inference in vivo, we determined that Numb-deficient cells have altered cortical tension.

Duct soderhamn ottoman cover elongation defects were associated with altered E-cadherin distribution, but were independent of proliferation, apoptosis in ducts or end buds.This highlights a critical role for Numb in a mechanical mechanism that is required to maintain cell packing density during epithelial tube elongation.