Cell division as a Rubik's Cube: how a viable organism emerges from random disorder

The first stages of cell division are characterised by random disorder. Only at the end of the 8-cell stage does a very specific configuration dominate, offering optimal conditions for further development. Photo: Rostislav - stock.adobe.com

Whether fly, mouse or human: the development of an organism from a single cell is one of the most astonishing phenomena in nature. Many different processes overlap, some of which are chaotic. A research team led by scientists from the Hubrecht Institute in the Netherlands, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and the University of Graz investigated the early stages of cell division in mammals. They were able to show that – like a Rubik's cube – a precisely assembled complex emerges from random disorder. The results of their work were published in Science.

In their study, the researchers looked at the first cell divisions after the fertilisation of an egg cell in mice and rabbits. They found that this process takes place differently from time to time, both temporally and spatially, until the end of the 8-cell stage. “The rate of stem cell doubling varies randomly across generations. Sometimes it happens faster, sometimes it takes a little longer,” reports Bernat Corominas Murtra, assistant professor at the Department of Biology and in the field of excellence COLIBRI (Complexity of Life in Basic Research and Innovation) at the University of Graz.

The geometric structure did not appear to follow a plan at first either. “After dividing, the cells gathered together to form different shapes. Only by the end of the 8-cell stage, after completion of the so-called compaction process, one configuration became overwhelmingly dominant,” the scientist describes the development. The study authors were able to show that this specific arrangement was optimal, providing the right conditions for the subsequent cell divisions leading to the 16-cell stage. “There, the correct ratio of inner to outer cells is essential for the developing organism’s viability: Inner cells will lead to the organism itself, while outer cells form the placenta and extra-embryonic material,” explains Corominas Murtra.

Disorder as a driving force

It's like Rubik's Cube: Randomly arranged cells are shifted to form a whole according to plan. But how does the embryo solve this task? “The answer lies in fundamental principles of physics and mathematics,” says Corominas Murtra: “A genetically encoded slight increase in cell adhesion, coupled with significant random fluctuations in cell positions – disorder – paradoxically facilitates the transition from any arbitrary packing of cells to a single optimal configuration,” explains the physicist.

This interpretation paves the way for a new understanding on how complex geometries and, in general, organisation patterns arise in living beings. “Disorder, therefore, far from being a problem the system has to deal with, may be one of the leading forces driving the precision of organism development,” emphasises Corominas Murtra.

Publication
Temporal variability and cell mechanics control robustness in mammalian embryogenesis
Dimitri Fabrèges, Takashi Hiiragi, Edouard Hannezo, Bernat Corominas Murtra
Science, 10.10.2024, DOI 10.1126/science.adh1145

©Uni Graz/Tzivanopoulos

Bernat Corominas Murtra conducts research in COLIBRI (Complexity of Life in Basic Research and Innovation), a field of excellence at the University of Graz. Photo: Uni Graz/Tzivanopoulos

Gudrun Pichler

Related news

Studying at the University of Graz: How to enrol

Ready for a new chapter in your life with the start of your studies at the University of Graz in the winter semester 2026/27? Here you will find information on deadlines, admission procedures, registration, and everything else you need to successfully start your studies in the fall.

Europe Day: Strengthening international expertise with Arqus

On 9 May, the spotlight will be on Europe. At the University of Graz, European cooperation is also a tangible part of everyday student life – not least through the Arqus university alliance. Master’s and PhD students can currently register for the Arqus micro-credential in ‘Advanced Creative Thinking and Communication’.

A substantial community: the key role of soil crusts in the earth system

They are often overshadowed by the plant world: lichens, fungi, mosses and bacteria, which form unique communities on rocks and trees or as soil crusts. Bettina Weber from the University of Graz is bringing this biological alliance into the research spotlight. Her research shows that these communities form an essential part of the Earth’s critical zone and play a key role in the interactions between land and atmosphere. Bettina Weber was honoured by the European Geosciences Union for her groundbreaking research at the beginning of May.

The digital world of tomorrow: University of Graz works with people to shape the future

Digitalisation is supposed to make everything better: artificial intelligence that even organises travel. The car that drives itself. Robots that care for us in our old age. But what kind of future do people actually want? What role should technology play in this? The University of Graz is exploring these questions through a new research facility. At the Graz Sociodigital and Participatory Futures Studio – or GraSP Futures Studio for short – young and old work together with researchers to design visions of the future that also critically examine technical innovations.