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Shear-Driven Solidification and Nonlinear Elasticity in Epithelial Tissues

Huang, Junxiang; Cochran, James O.; Fielding, Suzanne M.; Marchetti, M. Cristina; Bi, Dapeng

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Authors

Junxiang Huang

James Cochran james.o.cochran@durham.ac.uk
PGR Student Doctor of Philosophy

M. Cristina Marchetti

Dapeng Bi



Abstract

Biological processes, from morphogenesis to tumor invasion, spontaneously generate shear stresses inside living tissue. The mechanisms that govern the transmission of mechanical forces in epithelia and the collective response of the tissue to bulk shear deformations remain, however, poorly understood. Using a minimal cell-based computational model, we investigate the constitutive relation of confluent tissues under simple shear deformation. We show that an initially undeformed fluidlike tissue acquires finite rigidity above a critical applied strain. This is akin to the shear-driven rigidity observed in other soft matter systems. Interestingly, shear-driven rigidity can be understood by a critical scaling analysis in the vicinity of the second order critical point that governs the liquid-solid transition of the undeformed system. We further show that a solidlike tissue responds linearly only to small strains and but then switches to a nonlinear response at larger stains, with substantial stiffening. Finally, we propose a mean-field formulation for cells under shear that offers a simple physical explanation of shear-driven rigidity and nonlinear response in a tissue.

Citation

Huang, J., Cochran, J. O., Fielding, S. M., Marchetti, M. C., & Bi, D. (2022). Shear-Driven Solidification and Nonlinear Elasticity in Epithelial Tissues. Physical Review Letters, 128(17), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.178001

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 31, 2022
Online Publication Date Apr 27, 2022
Publication Date 2022
Deposit Date Jun 29, 2022
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Physical Review Letters
Print ISSN 0031-9007
Electronic ISSN 1079-7114
Publisher American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 128
Issue 17
DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.178001

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Copyright Statement
Reprinted with permission from the American Physical Society: Huang, Junxiang, Cochran, James O., Fielding, Suzanne M., Marchetti, M. Cristina & Bi, Dapeng (2022). Shear-Driven Solidification and Nonlinear Elasticity in Epithelial Tissues. Physical Review Letters 128(17). © 2022 by the American Physical Society. Readers may view, browse, and/or download material for temporary copying purposes only, provided these uses are for noncommercial personal purposes. Except as provided by law, this material may not be further reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, adapted, performed, displayed, published, or sold in whole or part, without prior written permission from the American Physical Society.





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