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Excitable dynamics driven by mechanical feedback in biological tissues.

Fernanda Pérez-Verdugo1, Samuel Banks1,2, Shiladitya Banerjee1

  • 1Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular mechanics and tissue geometry drive pulsatile activity in biological systems. A theoretical framework reveals how cell stretching and contractility regulate wave propagation and activity pulses in multicellular tissues.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cellular mechanics
  • Theoretical biology

Background:

  • Pulsatory activity patterns are common in biological systems, driven by mechanochemical feedback.
  • The influence of cellular mechanics and geometry on signal propagation is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a theoretical framework explaining the mechanical origin and regulation of pulsatile activity in excitable multicellular tissues.
  • To investigate the role of cellular mechanics and geometry in governing tissue-level activity patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a theoretical framework for pulsatile activity in multicellular tissues.
  • Modeled cellular-level mechanical feedback (stretch-activated contractility, inactivation of active elements).
  • Analyzed the transition between propagating pulses and waves based on mechanical timescales and tissue geometry.

Main Results:

  • A simple mechanical feedback mechanism at the cellular level can generate tissue-level phenomena like quiescent states, long-range wave propagation, and traveling activity pulses.
  • The transition from pulse to wave propagation is determined by the interplay between cellular mechanical response timescales and tissue geometrical disorder.
  • Cell packing geometry fundamentally influences tissue excitability and spatial activity propagation.

Conclusions:

  • Cellular mechanics and geometry are critical determinants of pulsatile activity patterns in multicellular tissues.
  • The theoretical framework provides insights into the regulation of biological waves and pulses.
  • Findings highlight the importance of cell packing in tissue-level excitability and signal dynamics.