Eva K. Pillai

Rapid repurposing of microvillar content drives a flagellate-to-amoeboid switch in the closest relative of animals

This study identifies rapid cytoskeletal remodeling in choanoflagellates during a flagellate-to-amoeboid switch, driven by microvillar retraction and actin cortex formation.

Long-range chemical signalling in vivo is regulated by mechanical signals

The paper shows that mechanical signals regulate long-range chemical signaling in the developing Xenopus brain by modulating tissue stiffness and expression of guidance cues.

Substrate stiffness regulates neuronal maturation via Piezo1-mediated TTR activity

This study shows that substrate stiffness affects neuronal maturation by regulating Piezo1-mediated TTR activity, delaying synapse formation and electrical maturation.

Simultaneous in vivo time-lapse stiffness mapping and fluorescence imaging of developing tissue

This study uses tiv-AFM to show that in vivo tissue stiffness gradients in Xenopus brain development are driven by differential cell proliferation and guide axon growth.