Probing hydrodynamics of early development using diamond quantum sensors

Embryogenesis involves cell division, cell movement and cell shape change orchestrated in space and time. The most dramatic time in an animal's development is gastrulation, an early stage of embryogenesis which marks the beginning of differentiation into different cell lineages and establishing the geometry and basic axes of the body. Embryogenesis is regulated through the action of genes but genes act within the mechanical framework of cells and tissues. The relevant mechanical properties include hydrodynamics, viscosity and stiffness. The C. elegans nematode is a robust model animal to study these properties, with its transparent body and fully sequenced genome.
Here we will apply a powerful quantum sensing technique based on optical detection of spin resonance in diamond nanocrystals to understanding the hydrodynamics of embryogenesis. These nanocrystals allow for simultaneous sensing of viscoelasticity and temperature, with nanoscale resolution. We will use genetic, chemical and thermal perturbations followed by nanoscale probing of the resulting local mechanical properties over the course of the C. elegans embryo's development to reveal the regulation of its development at the nanoscale.