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Migrating Epithelial Monolayer Flows Like a Maxwell Viscoelastic Liquid.
S Tlili1,2, M Durande1, C Gay1
1Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, Université de Paris-Diderot, CNRS UMR 7057, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France.
Physical Review Letters
|September 10, 2020
Summary
This study reveals that migrating epithelial cells behave like a Maxwell viscoelastic liquid, not a solid. This finding is crucial for understanding collective cell migration dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Biophysics
- Materials science
Background:
- Collective cell migration is fundamental to development and disease.
- Understanding the physical properties of migrating cell layers is key to controlling their behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physical behavior of autonomously migrating epithelial cell monolayers.
- To determine the viscoelastic properties governing collective cell migration.
Main Methods:
- Bidimensional Stokes experiment using Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells.
- Image analysis of tissue flow and cell anisotropy.
- Quantification of strain rate, cell deformation, and rearrangement rates.
Main Results:
- Spatially heterogeneous tissue flow, deformation, and rearrangement rates were observed.
- Strong correlation between cell deformation and rearrangement rates suggests Maxwell viscoelastic liquid behavior.
- Measured relaxation time (τ=70±15 min) is independent of obstacle size and cell division rate.
- Myosin inhibition increased the relaxation time.
Conclusions:
- The migrating cell monolayer exhibits Maxwell viscoelastic liquid behavior.
- Both elastic and viscous effects contribute significantly to collective cell migration.
- The Weissenberg number close to one indicates comparable contributions of elastic and viscous forces.
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