1
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Kim J, Sakar MS, Bouklas N. Modeling the mechanosensitive collective migration of cells on the surface and the interior of morphing soft tissues. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024:10.1007/s10237-024-01870-2. [PMID: 38972940 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-024-01870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Cellular contractility, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics are critical for a wide range of biological processes including embryonic development, wound healing, tissue morphogenesis, and regeneration. Even though the distinct response of cells near the tissue periphery has been previously observed in cell-laden microtissues, including faster kinetics and more prominent cell-ECM interactions, there are currently no models that can fully combine coupled surface and bulk mechanics and kinetics to recapitulate the morphogenic response of these constructs. Mailand et al. (Biophys J 117(5):975-986, 2019) had shown the importance of active elastocapillarity in cell-laden microtissues, but modeling the distinct mechanosensitive migration of cells on the periphery and the interior of highly deforming tissues has not been possible thus far, especially in the presence of active elastocapillary effects. This paper presents a framework for understanding the interplay between cellular contractility, migration, and ECM mechanics in dynamically morphing soft tissues accounting for distinct cellular responses in the bulk and the surface of tissues. The major novelty of this approach is that it enables modeling the distinct migratory and contractile response of cells residing on the tissue surface and the bulk, where concurrently the morphing soft tissues undergo large deformations driven by cell contractility. Additionally, the simulation results capture the changes in shape and cell concentration for wounded and intact microtissues, enabling the interpretation of experimental data. The numerical procedure that accounts for mechanosensitive stress generation, large deformations, diffusive migration in the bulk and a distinct mechanism for diffusive migration on deforming surfaces is inspired from recent work on bulk and surface poroelasticity of hydrogels involving elastocapillary effects, but in this work, a two-field weak form is proposed and is able to alleviate numerical instabilities that were observed in the original method that utilized a three-field mixed finite element formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaemin Kim
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA
| | - Mahmut Selman Sakar
- Institutes of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nikolaos Bouklas
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA.
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2
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Li X, Chen B. Dynamics of multicellular swirling on micropatterned substrates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400804121. [PMID: 38900800 PMCID: PMC11214149 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400804121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Chirality plays a crucial role in biology, as it is highly conserved and fundamentally important in the developmental process. To better understand the relationship between the chirality of individual cells and that of tissues and organisms, we develop a generalized mechanics model of chiral polarized particles to investigate the swirling dynamics of cell populations on substrates. Our analysis reveals that cells with the same chirality can form distinct chiral patterns on ring-shaped or rectangular substrates. Interestingly, our studies indicate that an excessively strong or weak individual cellular chirality hinders the formation of such chiral patterns. Our studies also indicate that there exists the influence distance of substrate boundaries in chiral patterns. Smaller influence distances are observed when cell-cell interactions are weaker. Conversely, when cell-cell interactions are too strong, multiple cells tend to be stacked together, preventing the formation of chiral patterns on substrates in our analysis. Additionally, we demonstrate that the interaction between cells and substrate boundaries effectively controls the chiral distribution of cellular orientations on ring-shaped substrates. This research highlights the significance of coordinating boundary features, individual cellular chirality, and cell-cell interactions in governing the chiral movement of cell populations and provides valuable mechanics insights into comprehending the intricate connection between the chirality of single cells and that of tissues and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310027, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310027, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou310027, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Conboy JP, Istúriz Petitjean I, van der Net A, Koenderink GH. How cytoskeletal crosstalk makes cells move: Bridging cell-free and cell studies. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021307. [PMID: 38840976 PMCID: PMC11151447 DOI: 10.1063/5.0198119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental process for life and is highly dependent on the dynamical and mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. Intensive physical and biochemical crosstalk among actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments ensures their coordination to facilitate and enable migration. In this review, we discuss the different mechanical aspects that govern cell migration and provide, for each mechanical aspect, a novel perspective by juxtaposing two complementary approaches to the biophysical study of cytoskeletal crosstalk: live-cell studies (often referred to as top-down studies) and cell-free studies (often referred to as bottom-up studies). We summarize the main findings from both experimental approaches, and we provide our perspective on bridging the two perspectives to address the open questions of how cytoskeletal crosstalk governs cell migration and makes cells move.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Conboy
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Istúriz Petitjean
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van der Net
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H. Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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4
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Bai J, Zeng X. Computational modeling and simulation of epithelial wound closure. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6265. [PMID: 37069231 PMCID: PMC10110613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33111-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Wounds in the epithelium may lead to serious injurious events or chronic inflammatory diseases, however, multicellular organisms have the ability to self-repair wounds through the movement of epithelial cell toward the wound area. Despite intensive studies exploring the mechanism of wound closure, the role of mechanics in epithelial wound closure is still not well explained. In order to investigate the role of mechanical properties on wound closure process, a three-dimensional continuum physics-based computational model is presented in this study. The model takes into account the material property of the epithelial cell, intercellular interactions between neighboring cells at cell-cell junctions, and cell-substrate adhesion between epithelial cells and ECM. Through finite element simulation, it is found that the closure efficiency is related to the initial gap size and the intensity of lamellipodial protrusion. It is also shown that cells at the wound edge undergo higher stress compared with other cells in the epithelial monolayer, and the cellular normal stress dominates over the cellular shear stress. The model presented in this study can be employed as a numerical tool to unravel the mechanical principles behind the complex wound closure process. These results might have the potential to improve effective wound management and optimize the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Bai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zeng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
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5
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Chen Y, Wu D, Levine H. A physical model for dynamic assembly of human salivary stem/progenitor microstructures. Cells Dev 2022; 171:203803. [PMID: 35931336 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2022.203803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The in vitro reconstructions of human salivary glands in service of their eventual medical use represent a challenge for tissue engineering. Here, we present a theoretical approach to the dynamical formation of acinar structures from human salivary cells, focusing on observed stick-slip radial expansion as well as possible growth instabilities. Our findings demonstrate the critical importance of basement membrane remodeling in controlling the growth process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyang Chen
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Danielle Wu
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics and Depts. of Physics and Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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6
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Wang H, Zou B, Su J, Wang D, Xu X. Variational methods and deep Ritz method for active elastic solids. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6015-6031. [PMID: 35920447 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00404f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Variational methods have been widely used in soft matter physics for both static and dynamic problems. These methods are mostly based on two variational principles: the variational principle of minimum free energy (MFEVP) and Onsager's variational principle (OVP). Our interests lie in the applications of these variational methods to active matter physics. In our former work [H. Wang, T. Qian and X. Xu, Soft Matter, 2021, 17, 3634-3653], we have explored the applications of OVP-based variational methods for the modeling of active matter dynamics. In the present work, we explore variational (or energy) methods that are based on MFEVP for static problems in active elastic solids. We show that MFEVP can be used not only to derive equilibrium equations, but also to develop approximate solution methods, such as the Ritz method, for active solid statics. Moreover, the power of the Ritz-type method can be further enhanced using deep learning methods if we use deep neural networks to construct the trial functions of the variational problems. We then apply these variational methods and the deep Ritz method to study the spontaneous bending and contraction of a thin active circular plate that is induced by internal asymmetric active contraction. The circular plate is found to be bent towards its contracting side. The study of such a simple toy system gives implications for understanding the morphogenesis of solid-like confluent cell monolayers. In addition, we introduce a so-called activogravity length to characterize the importance of gravitational forces relative to internal active contraction in driving the bending of the active plate. When the lateral plate dimension is larger than the activogravity length (about 100 micron), gravitational forces become important. Such gravitaxis behaviors at multicellular scales may play significant roles in the morphogenesis and in the up-down symmetry broken during tissue development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqin Wang
- Physics Program, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China.
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Boyi Zou
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Jian Su
- Physics Program, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China.
| | - Dong Wang
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
- Shenzhen International Center for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Xinpeng Xu
- Physics Program, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China.
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
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7
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Mechanical coupling of supracellular stress amplification and tissue fluidization during exit from quiescence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201328119. [PMID: 35914175 PMCID: PMC9371707 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201328119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Most cells in the human body reside in a dormant state characterized by slow growth and minimal motility. During episodes such as wound healing, stem cell activation, and cancer growth, cells adapt to a more dynamic behavior characterized by proliferation and migration. However, little is known about the mechanical forces controlling the transition from static to motile following exit from dormancy. We demonstrate that keratinocyte monolayers install a mechanical system during dormancy that produces a coordinated burst of intercellular mechanical tension only minutes after dormancy exit. The activated forces are essential for large-scale displacements of otherwise motility-restricted cell sheets. Thus, cells sustain a mechanical system during dormancy that idles in anticipation of cell cycle entry and prompt activation of motion. Cellular quiescence is a state of reversible cell cycle arrest that is associated with tissue dormancy. Timely regulated entry into and exit from quiescence is important for processes such as tissue homeostasis, tissue repair, stem cell maintenance, developmental processes, and immunity. However, little is known about processes that control the mechanical adaption to cell behavior changes during the transition from quiescence to proliferation. Here, we show that quiescent human keratinocyte monolayers sustain an actinomyosin-based system that facilitates global cell sheet displacements upon serum-stimulated exit from quiescence. Mechanistically, exposure of quiescent cells to serum-borne mitogens leads to rapid amplification of preexisting contractile sites, leading to a burst in monolayer tension that subsequently drives large-scale displacements of otherwise motility-restricted monolayers. The stress level after quiescence exit correlates with the level of quiescence depth at the time of activation, and a critical stress magnitude must be reached to overcome the cell sheet displacement barrier. The study shows that static quiescent cell monolayers are mechanically poised for motility, and it identifies global stress amplification as a mechanism for overcoming motility restrictions in confined confluent cell monolayers.
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8
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Buttenschön A, Edelstein-Keshet L. Bridging from single to collective cell migration: A review of models and links to experiments. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008411. [PMID: 33301528 PMCID: PMC7728230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical and computational models can assist in gaining an understanding of cell behavior at many levels of organization. Here, we review models in the literature that focus on eukaryotic cell motility at 3 size scales: intracellular signaling that regulates cell shape and movement, single cell motility, and collective cell behavior from a few cells to tissues. We survey recent literature to summarize distinct computational methods (phase-field, polygonal, Cellular Potts, and spherical cells). We discuss models that bridge between levels of organization, and describe levels of detail, both biochemical and geometric, included in the models. We also highlight links between models and experiments. We find that models that span the 3 levels are still in the minority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Buttenschön
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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9
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Green Y, Fredberg JJ, Butler JP. Relationship between velocities, tractions, and intercellular stresses in the migrating epithelial monolayer. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:062405. [PMID: 32688543 PMCID: PMC7794661 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.062405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between velocities, tractions, and intercellular stresses in the migrating epithelial monolayer are currently unknown. Ten years ago, a method known as monolayer stress microscopy (MSM) was suggested from which intercellular stresses could be computed for a given traction field. The core assumption of MSM is that intercellular stresses within the monolayer obey a linear and passive constitutive law. Examples of these include a Hookean solid (an elastic sheet) or a Newtonian fluid (thin fluid film), which imply a specific relation between the displacements or velocities and the tractions. Due to the lack of independently measured intercellular stresses, a direct validation of the 2D stresses predicted by a linear passive MSM model is presently not possible. An alternative approach, which we give here and denote as the Stokes method, is based on simultaneous measurements of the monolayer velocity field and the cell-substrate tractions. Using the same assumptions as those underlying MSM, namely, a linear and passive constitutive law, the velocity field suffices to compute tractions, from which we can then compare with those measured by traction force microscopy. We find that the calculated tractions and measured tractions are uncorrelated. Since the classical MSM and the Stokes approach both depend on the linear and passive constitutive law, it follows that some serious modification of the underling rheology is needed. One possible modification is the inclusion of an active force. In the special case where this is additive to the linear passive rheology, we have a new relationship between the active force density and the measured velocity (or displacement) field and tractions, which by Newton's laws, must be obeyed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoav Green
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | | | - James P. Butler
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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10
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Henkes S, Kostanjevec K, Collinson JM, Sknepnek R, Bertin E. Dense active matter model of motion patterns in confluent cell monolayers. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1405. [PMID: 32179745 PMCID: PMC7075903 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cell monolayers show remarkable displacement and velocity correlations over distances of ten or more cell sizes that are reminiscent of supercooled liquids and active nematics. We show that many observed features can be described within the framework of dense active matter, and argue that persistent uncoordinated cell motility coupled to the collective elastic modes of the cell sheet is sufficient to produce swirl-like correlations. We obtain this result using both continuum active linear elasticity and a normal modes formalism, and validate analytical predictions with numerical simulations of two agent-based cell models, soft elastic particles and the self-propelled Voronoi model together with in-vitro experiments of confluent corneal epithelial cell sheets. Simulations and normal mode analysis perfectly match when tissue-level reorganisation occurs on times longer than the persistence time of cell motility. Our analytical model quantitatively matches measured velocity correlation functions over more than a decade with a single fitting parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Henkes
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TW, United Kingdom.
- Institute of Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, United Kingdom.
| | - Kaja Kostanjevec
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - J Martin Collinson
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Rastko Sknepnek
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, United Kingdom.
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, United Kingdom.
| | - Eric Bertin
- Université Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, LIPHY, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
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11
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Cao X, Zhang B, Zhao N. Effective temperature scaled dynamics of a flexible polymer in an active bath. Mol Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2020.1730992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuli Cao
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bingjie Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Nanrong Zhao
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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12
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Prat‐Rojo C, Pouille P, Buceta J, Martin‐Blanco E. Mechanical coordination is sufficient to promote tissue replacement during metamorphosis in Drosophila. EMBO J 2020; 39:e103594. [PMID: 31858605 PMCID: PMC6996571 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019103594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, cells coordinate to organize in coherent structures. Although it is now well established that physical forces are essential for implementing this coordination, the instructive roles of mechanical inputs are not clear. Here, we show that the replacement of the larval epithelia by the adult one in Drosophila demands the coordinated exchange of mechanical signals between two cell types, the histoblasts (adult precursors) organized in nests and the surrounding larval epidermal cells (LECs). An increasing stress gradient develops from the center of the nests toward the LECs as a result of the forces generated by histoblasts as they proliferate and by the LECs as they delaminate (push/pull coordination). This asymmetric radial coordination of expansive and contractile activities contributes to epithelial replacement. Our analyses support a model in which cell-cell mechanical communication is sufficient for the rearrangements that implement epithelial morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Prat‐Rojo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de BarcelonaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasParc Científic de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Present address:
Nikon Instruments Europe BVAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Philippe‐Alexandre Pouille
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de BarcelonaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasParc Científic de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Javier Buceta
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPAUSA
| | - Enrique Martin‐Blanco
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de BarcelonaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasParc Científic de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
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13
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Staddon MF, Cavanaugh KE, Munro EM, Gardel ML, Banerjee S. Mechanosensitive Junction Remodeling Promotes Robust Epithelial Morphogenesis. Biophys J 2019; 117:1739-1750. [PMID: 31635790 PMCID: PMC6838884 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis of epithelial tissues requires tight spatiotemporal coordination of cell shape changes. In vivo, many tissue-scale shape changes are driven by pulsatile contractions of intercellular junctions, which are rectified to produce irreversible deformations. The functional role of this pulsatory ratchet and its mechanistic basis remain unknown. Here we combine theory and biophysical experiments to show that mechanosensitive tension remodeling of epithelial cell junctions promotes robust epithelial shape changes via ratcheting. Using optogenetic control of actomyosin contractility, we find that epithelial junctions show elastic behavior under low contractile stress, returning to their original lengths after contraction, but undergo irreversible deformation under higher magnitudes of contractile stress. Existing vertex-based models for the epithelium are unable to capture these results, with cell junctions displaying purely elastic or fluid-like behaviors, depending on the choice of model parameters. To describe the experimental results, we propose a modified vertex model with two essential ingredients for junction mechanics: thresholded tension remodeling and continuous strain relaxation. First, junctions must overcome a critical strain threshold to trigger tension remodeling, resulting in irreversible junction length changes. Second, there is a continuous relaxation of junctional strain that removes mechanical memory from the system. This enables pulsatile contractions to further remodel cell shape via mechanical ratcheting. Taken together, the combination of mechanosensitive tension remodeling and junctional strain relaxation provides a robust mechanism for large-scale morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Staddon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate E Cavanaugh
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Edwin M Munro
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Margaret L Gardel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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14
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Staddon MF, Bi D, Tabatabai AP, Ajeti V, Murrell MP, Banerjee S. Cooperation of dual modes of cell motility promotes epithelial stress relaxation to accelerate wound healing. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006502. [PMID: 30273354 PMCID: PMC6181425 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective cell migration in cohesive units is vital for tissue morphogenesis, wound repair, and immune response. While the fundamental driving forces for collective cell motion stem from contractile and protrusive activities of individual cells, it remains unknown how their balance is optimized to maintain tissue cohesiveness and the fluidity for motion. Here we present a cell-based computational model for collective cell migration during wound healing that incorporates mechanochemical coupling of cell motion and adhesion kinetics with stochastic transformation of active motility forces. We show that a balance of protrusive motility and actomyosin contractility is optimized for accelerating the rate of wound repair, which is robust to variations in cell and substrate mechanical properties. This balance underlies rapid collective cell motion during wound healing, resulting from a tradeoff between tension mediated collective cell guidance and active stress relaxation in the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F. Staddon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dapeng Bi
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - A. Pasha Tabatabai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Visar Ajeti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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