Creases as information bottlenecks in active elastic sheets

This dataset contains microscopy data used in our study, "Creases as information bottlenecks in active elastic sheets," which pertains to the folding and unfolding behavior exhibited by the early-diverging animal Trichoplax adhaerens. To study this behavior, we performed time lapse microscopy to extract crease/twist and ciliary dynamics. By imaging the animal's ventral surface during unfolding behavior, we identify sharp crease lines that undergo rapid geometric and topological remodeling, dynamically compartmentalizing the contact domain between the animal and its substrate. Through cilia-resolved imaging, we find that creases and twists locally disrupt ciliary coordination, act as information bottlenecks between adjacent ciliary patches, and establish a feedback loop between ciliary activity and crease geometry. We further confirm these findings via high-magnification imaging of crease dynamics, which enables the simultaneous observation of crease evolution and the local tissue motion direction field.