Cell-level finite element studies of viscous cells in planar aggregates
1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
A new cell-level finite element formulation is presented and used to investigate how epithelia and other planar collections of viscous cells might deform during events such as embryo morphogenesis and wound healing. Forces arising from cytoskeletal components, cytoplasm viscosity, and cell-cell adhesions are included. Individual cells are modeled using multiple finite elements, and cell rearrangements can occur. Simulations of cell-sheet stretching indicate that the initial stages of sheet stretching are characterized by changes in cell shape, while subsequent stages are governed by cell rearrangement. Inferences can be made from the simulations about the forces that act in real cell sheets when suitable experimental data are available.
Related Concept Videos
Viscosity of Fluid
Newtonian Fluid: Problem Solving
A velocity gradient forms within the fluid when a Newtonian fluid is placed between two parallel plates, with...
Typical Model Studies
Viscosity
The SI unit of viscosity is...
Capillarity in Fluid
Surface tension is crucial to capillarity. It results from cohesive forces between liquid molecules at the liquid-air boundary, forming a skin that resists external forces. When the capillary tube...


