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Tissue Active Matter: Integrating Mechanics and Signaling into Dynamical Models
David B Brückner1, Edouard Hannezo1
1Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria david.brueckner@ist.ac.at edouard.hannezo@ist.ac.at.
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|July 1, 2024
Summary
Physical forces are crucial for tissue development and function. Active matter physics reveals how energy consumption in tissues creates unique properties, unifying principles in morphogenesis and collective cell behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Physical forces play a critical role in tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis, and disease.
- Analogies to inert materials like foams and gels offer insights into multicellular organization.
- Multicellular systems are active, consuming energy to generate forces, unlike passive materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore novel properties of active tissues compared to classical materials.
- To understand how tissue activity impacts biological functions.
- To review recent discoveries at the intersection of active matter and tissue biology.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of active matter in biological systems.
- Experimental characterization of tissue dynamics.
- Integration of modeling and experimental approaches.
Main Results:
- Active matter principles provide a framework for understanding tissue-scale phenomena.
- Tissue activity confers unique properties not found in passive materials.
- Unified design principles govern diverse biological processes like morphogenesis and migration.
Conclusions:
- Active matter physics is essential for comprehending tissue dynamics and function.
- Modeling and experiments reveal unifying physical principles in multicellular systems.
- Understanding tissue active matter has implications for development, disease, and regenerative medicine.
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