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Descriptif
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The quantitative understanding of early mammalian development is essential to the progress of reproductive medicine. Yet, the physical and mechanical principles governing the morphogenesis of mammalian embryos remain largely unknown. Early mouse embryos self-organize by a succession of cell divisions, deformations and rearrangements, leading ultimately to a stereotypical 3-dimensional structure called the blastocyst. Encapsulating a large fluid cavity, the blastocyst is composed of two major cell lineages, the inner-cell mass and the trophectoderm, which are segregated in inside & outside layers. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the self-organization principles of early mouse embryos from a theoretical perspective, by associating precise description of cell mechanics with simple models of cellular signaling and gene regulation. The work will combine analytical modeling and computational science to develop precise numerical simulations of embryo morphogenesis. Funded by the Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation for 3 years, it will be performed in tight collaboration with the experimental group of J-L. Maître at Institut Curie, expert in mouse embryology. |
