Cytoskeletal Regulation of Three-Dimensional Epithelial Cell Shape

Three-dimensional force distribution within the actin cytoskeleton of epithelial tissue regulates cell shape. While two-dimensional cell shape has been well characterized and heavily studied, three-dimensional cell shape regulation is less well understood despite its critical role in large scale epithelial processes such as invagination. By examining the relationship between cell height, density and biological components of the actin cytoskeleton, we explore the mechanisms by which epithelial cells regulate shape and volume. We observe that while cell density is not a strong indicator of epithelial height, osmotic shock drastically decreases both tissue height and cell volume while leaving the lateral shape of cells in the tissue undisturbed.