The experiments in Eindhoven were combined with advanced simulations in Groningen. Together, they show that two mechanisms work simultaneously to break the left-right symmetry in the body. “This is an eye opener for developmental biologists. It has an impact on the scientific field focused on embryonic development,” Den Toonder notes. The results of the study were published last week in Science Advances.

Driven by curiosity

According to Den Toonder, the research is primarily fundamental in nature. “This study was purely curiosity-driven,” he says. The placement of organs in the body has long been debated in the literature, and several hypotheses had been proposed. But there was no consensus, because it is virtually impossible to study this phenomenon in vivo (in the body, ed.), he adds.

Whether there will be practical applications in the future remains uncertain. “That's up to the biologists and biomedical scientists now,” Den Toonder says. “Personally, I think it would be complicated to intervene in embryonic development, but perhaps other scientists will get ideas from our discovery.”

Den Toonder will now focus on new applications for the artificial cilia, for example, using them to mechanically stimulate cells, which could influence cell differentiation—potentially relevant in regenerative medicine. At the same time, this fundamental development can guide other researchers and help advance the field. “We are now handing the baton to developmental biologists, who can use our results to further solve the puzzle of asymmetry development,” he concludes.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.