Three-dimensional morphogenesis of epithelial tubes

Epithelial tubes serve as fundamental structures within diverse organs. Morphogenesis of epithelial tubes involves cell deformations, biochemical signaling, and the cross-talking between cells and the extracellular matrix. However, it remains incompletely understood how the interplay between mechanics and biochemical signaling modulates the morphologies of epithelial tubes. In this work, we develop a three-dimensional (3D) vertex model incorporating biochemical signaling pathways to investigate epithelial tube morphogenesis. We reveal that the mechanical properties of both cells and the apical extracellular matrix can regulate the size of the tube. The chemomechanical deformation of cells can activate supercellular spot and stripe actomyosin patterns, which, consequently, induce the wave- or ring-shaped tube configurations, depending on diffusion of chemical species. Our study highlights the significant role of mechano-chemical interplay in morphodynamics of tissues and also provides a 3D framework to decode complex pattern formation in biological structures.