Following Fate

Every cell is destined to fulfil a certain role – its cell fate. How cell fates are determined partly depends on interactions between cells. Measuring this is challenging because cell fates develop gradually over time and space in tissues of different shapes and sizes. Here, a computational image analysis solution measures the properties of each cell relative to those of its neighbours, flattening a 3D image of a curved structure into 2D for easier analysis. Researchers tested this toolkit, including an algorithm dubbed PRINGLE (referencing the convex/concave planes of the early embryonic tissue under study, reminiscent of a famous crisp-in-a-tube), on microscopy images of mouse embryos labelled fluorescently with markers of different cell types (pictured). After treating the embryos with a chemical to alter cell fates, PRINGLE was able to reveal the consequences for individual cells. This toolkit has, therefore, proved powerful for capturing twists in fate in the life of a cell.

Image created using Leica Microsystems microscopy

Written by Lux Fatimathas

Lux Fatimathas

Writer

Having pursued science through a career in research, communications and publishing, she is currently a writer and editor for a healthcare marketing agency and also juggles freelance science writing.

• Image from work by Matthew French and colleagues
• Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
• Image contributed by the authors and originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in PLOS Biology, July 2025