Researchers discover new geometric shape dubbed “scutoid”

A group of researchers has discovered a previously undescribed shape they have called a “scutoid” through modeling and experiments. This shape is specifically adopted by packed epithelial cells during embryonic development. The new shape could lead to advancements in tissue engineering according to the team.

As an embryo develops tissue is bent into the complex three-dimensional shape, and the tissues eventually turn into organs. The cells are packed very tightly at this stage and to accommodate the curving that happens during embryonic development scientists discovered with further research that the epithelial cells at this stage adopt a shape that was previously undescribed…