Working with organoids derived from mouse cells, researchers explored the processes involved in lumen formation in the pancreas and uncovered what controls the shape of lumens (fluid-filled cavities) during pancreatic development. They suggest that there are three main factors: how fast cells proliferate, the pressure inside the lumen, and the permeability of the cells around the lumen. More specifically, the shape of the lumen depends on the balance between the cell proliferation rate and the pressure in the lumen. Low pressure and high proliferation produce more complex or ‘star-shaped’ lumens. The pressure in lumens remain low because the surrounding pancreatic tissue is permeable. The discovered mechanisms could be relevant to other organs with complex ductal systems and to common cystic diseases. Furthermore, these findings could be used to develop new therapeutic strategies, including testing the effects of drugs for diseases. This work is published in Nature Cell Biology in the paper, “Permeability-driven pressure and cell proliferation control lumen morphogenesis in pancreatic organoids.” Lumens in the pancreas—fluid-filled spaces which are crucial for organ function and serve as transport and delivery networks—form a complex ductal system and its channels transport digestive enzymes to the small intestine. Understanding how this system forms in embryonic development is essential, both for normal organ formation and for diagnosing and treating pancreatic disorders. Despite their importance, how lumens take certain shapes is not fully understood, as studies in other models have largely been limited to the formation of single, spherical lumens. Organoid models can exhibit a range…
