Quantifying material properties of cell monolayers by analyzing integer topological defects

Abstract

In developing organisms, internal cellular processes generate mechanical stresses at the tissue scale. The resulting deformations depend on the material properties of the tissue, which can exhibit long-ranged orientational order and topological defects. It remains a challenge to determine these properties on the time scales relevant for developmental processes. Here, we build on the physics of liquid crystals to determine material parameters of cell monolayers. Specifically, we use a hydrodynamic description to characterize the stationary states of compressible active polar fluids around defects. We illustrate our approach by analyzing monolayers of C2C12 cells in small circular confinements, where they form a single topological defect with integer charge. We find that such monolayers exert compressive stresses at the defect centers, where localized cell differentiation and formation of three-dimensional shapes is observed.

arXiv comment5 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (5)

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Cited by in corpus (14)

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• Active morphogenesis of patterned epithelial shells
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• Active nematic flows on curved surfaces
• Properties of twisted topological defects in 2D nematic liquid crystals
• Morphodynamics of Active Nematic Fluid Surfaces
• Density-polarity coupling in confined active polar films: asters, spirals, and biphasic orientational phases
• Cells around the corner
• Quadrupolar active stress induces exotic phases of defect motion in active nematics
• Passive defect driven morphogenesis in nematic membranes
• Spontaneous flow created by active topological defects
• The importance of being discrete -- An agent-based model for active nematics and more
• Noise-induced transitions from contractile to extensile active stress in isotropic fluids