Hox genes modulate physical forces to differentially shape small and large intestinal epithelia

Abstract

The small and large intestines arise from a common primordial gut tube but ultimately become specialized in both form and function. While the midgut forms villi, the hindgut develops flat, brain-like sulci that resolve into heterogeneous outgrowths. Gut compartment identities are demarcated early in development via Hox genes, which are highly conserved, master regulators of spatial patterning in the embryo. Yet, how these factors trigger regional morphogenesis has remained a mystery. Combining mechanical measurements and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that the posterior Hox gene Hoxd13 regulates biophysical phenomena that shape the hindgut lumen. We further show that Hoxd13 acts through the TGF{beta} pathway to thicken, stiffen, and promote isotropic growth of the subepithelial mesenchyme; together, these features generate hindgut surface patterns. TGF{beta}, in turn, promotes collagen deposition to affect mesenchymal geometry and growth. We thus identify a cascade of events downstream of genetic identity that direct posterior intestinal morphogenesis.