Karen E. Kasza

Cell rearrangement progression along the apical-basal axis is linked with 3D epithelial tissue structure

The paper studies cell rearrangements along the apical-basal axis in Drosophila germband epithelium, revealing gradients in cell shape and tissue structure and the involvement of both apical and basolateral domains.

Endogenous OptoRhoGEFs reveal biophysical principles of epithelial tissue furrowing

The paper uses optogenetic tools to control RhoGEF activity in Drosophila and reveals how RhoGEF recruitment affects tissue furrowing during development.

E-cadherin tunes tissue mechanical behavior before and during morphogenetic tissue flows

This study investigates how E-cadherin-mediated adhesion affects mechanical behavior in Drosophila epithelial tissues before and during morphogenetic flows, revealing dual roles in tissue structure and dynamics.

Signatures of structural disorder in developing epithelial tissues

The paper investigates structural disorder in Drosophila germband epithelium during body axis elongation, showing that both internal and external stresses contribute to disorder and that disorder levels reflect physical or biological limits.

Mechanical control of neural plate folding by apical domain alteration

The paper investigates how apical domain alterations in Xenopus neural plate cells drive tissue folding through mechanical interactions and PCP signaling.

Optogenetic dissection of actomyosin-dependent mechanics underlying tissue fluidity

This study uses optogenetic tools to manipulate actomyosin contractility in Drosophila germband epithelium, revealing how Rho1 signaling affects cell rearrangements, tissue tensions, and mechanical properties during tissue flow.

Using optogenetics to link myosin patterns to contractile cell behaviors during convergent extension

This paper uses optogenetics to manipulate Rho1 signaling in Drosophila embryos, showing how changes in myosin patterns affect cell behaviors and tissue shape during convergent extension.

Anisotropy links cell shapes to a solid-to-fluid transition during convergent extension

The paper shows that cell shape and alignment together predict a solid-to-fluid transition in Drosophila germband epithelium during convergent extension.