A developmental biologist's guide to mechanics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Developmental biology seeks to explain how living systems self-organize into functional, robust forms. While molecular and genetic approaches have revealed how biological information is encoded and processed, they often do not explain how this information is translated into physical shape. Here, we introduce the mechanical principles underlying tissue morphogenesis, aimed at developmental biologists with little background in physics. This Primer is structured around three core pillars. First, force generation describes how active and passive processes within cells and tissues drive deformation and motion. Second, constitutive behavior defines how living matter responds to these forces, spanning elastic, viscous and plastic regimes. Third, geometry and boundary constraints set the spatial constraints that shape mechanical interactions at the tissue and organismal levels. Together, these elements provide a framework for understanding how form emerges from the interplay between forces, material properties and geometry. We illustrate key examples across developmental processes and highlight recent advances and future challenges, integrating mechanical and molecular perspectives to guide the study of morphogenesis.
Source: Development
DOI: 10.1242/dev.205785
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche
OpenAlex ID: W7204254687