Tissue tension of planar, free standing cell monolayers measured by central deformation.

ABSTRACT: Polar epithelial cells form thin but resilient sheets that resist mechanical in-plane stress by relying on strong conformal contacts mediated by dedicated cell-cell connections linked to the viscoelastic cortex. In this study, we investigate the mechanical response of free-standing cell monolayers to central indentation as a function of orientation using a colloidal probe. We determine tissue tension by treating the deformed tissue as a minimal surface. Our findings reveal that the cortex tension of the basal side governs the purely elastic response to in-plane extension, while the apical side of the cells is soft and dissipative giving rise to a hysteresis at low indentation depth. At larger indentation depth, the apico-basal polarity is no longer relevant as the cells are apically compre

SUBMITTER: Perez-Tirado A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12570031 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature