In Vivo Force Application Reveals a Fast Tissue Softening and External Friction Increase during Early Embryogenesis (Current Biology)

Assessment of tissue mechanical properties in vivo is challenging. D`Angelo, Dierkes et al. present a method based on local force application and on the analysis of induced deformations to measure epithelial mechanics. They find a rapid softening of the blastoderm and increase in external friction during the process of Drosophila cellularization.