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Mechanical basis and topological routes to cell elimination

Authors :
Siavash Monfared
Guruswami Ravichandran
José Andrade
Amin Doostmohammadi
Source :
eLife, Vol 12 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd, 2023.

Abstract

Cell layers eliminate unwanted cells through the extrusion process, which underlines healthy versus flawed tissue behaviors. Although several biochemical pathways have been identified, the underlying mechanical basis including the forces involved in cellular extrusion remains largely unexplored. Utilizing a phase-field model of a three-dimensional cell layer, we study the interplay of cell extrusion with cell–cell and cell–substrate interactions in a flat monolayer. Independent tuning of cell–cell versus cell–substrate adhesion forces reveals that extrusion events can be distinctly linked to defects in nematic and hexatic orders associated with cellular arrangements. Specifically, we show that by increasing relative cell–cell adhesion forces the cell monolayer can switch between the collective tendency towards fivefold, hexatic, disclinations relative to half-integer, nematic, defects for extruding a cell. We unify our findings by accessing three-dimensional mechanical stress fields to show that an extrusion event acts as a mechanism to relieve localized stress concentration.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2050084X
Volume :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
eLife
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7970ef1aead84459bdef948ee99a5f0c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.82435