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Biological Tissues as Active Nematic Liquid Crystals.

Thuan Beng Saw1, Wang Xi2, Benoit Ladoux2,3

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Engineering Block 4, #04-08, Singapore, 117583, Singapore.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|August 30, 2018
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Active nematics, materials with self-organizing cells, drive tissue dynamics and functions. This framework aids studying 2D tissue architectures and controlling cell organization for tissue engineering.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Cellular Mechanics

Background:

  • Live tissues exhibit self-organization, functioning as active materials driven by cellular energy injection.
  • Cytoskeletal filamentous structures display nematic liquid crystalline properties, enabling microscale nonequilibrium processes.
  • Emergent properties like collective patterns and topological defects in cytoskeletons are crucial for cellular functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Introduce the concept of active nematics for studying biological systems.
  • Focus on applying active nematics to analyze 2D tissue architectures and dynamics in vitro.
  • Discuss the role of the nematic state in tissue homeostasis, expansion, and disease, and its potential in tissue engineering.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual framework of active nematics.
  • In vitro studies of reconstituted molecular networks and single-cell cytoskeletons.
  • Analysis of 2D tissue architectures and dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Active nematics provide a framework to understand self-organization in biological systems.
  • Nematic properties are observed in cytoskeletons and influence cellular functions.
  • Tissue-level active nematic behavior impacts processes like cell extrusion, migration, and homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • Active nematics offer insights into fundamental tissue behaviors and emergent properties.
  • The nematic organization of cells is critical for tissue development, homeostasis, and disease.
  • Controlling nematic organization in vitro holds promise for tissue engineering applications.