Martine Ben Amar

The buckling of a soft elastic sample under growth or swelling has highlighted a new interest in materials science, morphogenesis, and biology or physiology. Indeed, the change of mass or volume is a common fact of any living species, and on a scale larger than the cell size, a macroscopic view can help to explain many features of common observation.

eLife assessment Using continuum theory of elastic solids the authors present evidence that periodic muscle contraction leads to elongation of C. elegans embryos by storing elastic energy that is subsequently released by extending the embryo's long axis. This important finding could apply to other developmental processes and be exploited in soft robotics. The presented evidence is convincing on the phenomenological level adopted in the work.

Abstract The abnormal development of embryos is closely linked to abnormal cell division and elongation, but the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. The embryonic development of C elegans embryo is different because it occurs without cell proliferation or cell rearrangement. Here, we focus on a spectacular 4-fold elongation that is achieved approximately 3 hours before the egg shell hatches and results from active filament networks.