Data supporting Martin et al (2017) "Symmetry-breaking in branching epithelia..."

These are raw image datasets and analyses used in a J. Anat. paper (Martin et al., 2017) with the following abstract: Branching morphogenesis of epithelia involves division of cells into leader (tip) and follower (stalk) cells. Published work on cell lines in culture has suggested that symmetry breaking takes place via a secreted autocrine inhibitor of motility, the inhibitor accumulating more in concave regions of the culture boundary, slowing advance of cells there, and less in convex areas, allowing advance and a further exaggeration of the concave/ convex difference. Here we test this hypothesis using a 2D culture system that includes strong flow conditions to remove accumulating diffusible secretions. We find that, while motility does indeed follow boundary curvature in this system, flow makes no difference: this challenges the hypothesis of control by a diffusible secreted autocrine inhibitor. N.B. Data obtained by KC Martin under the direction of Prof Jamie Davies.