Junctional and cytoplasmic contributions in wound healing

Area of Science:

• Cell biology
• Biophysics
• Tissue engineering

Background:

• Wound healing involves tissue re-epitheliation driven by cell contraction.
• Actin purse strings are known contributors, but cell viscoelasticity and contractility roles are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the roles of junctional and cytoplasmic contractility in wound healing.
• To model the impact of cell viscoelastic properties on tissue repair dynamics.

Main Methods:

• A hybrid vertex model was developed, incorporating explicit cell boundary and cytoplasmic contractilities.
• Differentiated viscoelastic rheology with adaptive rest-length was implemented.
• Experimental data from Drosophila wing disc epithelium wounds were used to fit tissue properties.

Main Results:

• Reducing junctional stiffness more effectively shortens wound closure times than reducing cytoplasmic stiffness.
• Cell intercalation rate has a minimal impact on stored energy but significantly accelerates healing, especially later.
• Viscoelastic properties of surrounding cells were quantified through recoil and closure phase analysis.

Conclusions:

• Cellular contractility and viscoelasticity are critical factors in wound healing dynamics.
• Modulating junctional stiffness presents a potential therapeutic target for enhanced wound repair.
• Computational modeling provides valuable insights into complex tissue regeneration processes.