Continuum Theory of Active Phase Separation in Cellular Aggregates

Kuan HS, Poenisch W, Juelicher F, Zaburdaev V (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Physical Review Letters American Physical Society

Book Volume: 126

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.018102

Abstract

Dense cellular aggregates are common in biology, ranging from bacterial biofilms to organoids, cell spheroids, and tumors. Their dynamics, driven by intercellular forces, is intrinsically out of equilibrium. Motivated by bacterial colonies as a model system, we present a continuum theory to study dense, active, cellular aggregates. We describe the process of aggregate formation as an active phase separation phenomenon, while the merging of aggregates is rationalized as a coalescence of viscoelastic droplets where the key timescales are linked to the turnover of the active force. Our theory provides a general framework for studying the rheology and nonequilibrium dynamics of dense cellular aggregates.

Authors with CRIS profile

Hui-Shun Kuan Lehrstuhl für Mathematik in den Lebenswissenschaften Vasily Zaburdaev Lehrstuhl für Mathematik in den Lebenswissenschaften

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme (MPI PKS) / Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kuan, H.-S., Poenisch, W., Juelicher, F., & Zaburdaev, V. (2021). Continuum Theory of Active Phase Separation in Cellular Aggregates. Physical Review Letters, 126(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.018102

MLA:

Kuan, Hui-Shun, et al. "Continuum Theory of Active Phase Separation in Cellular Aggregates." Physical Review Letters 126.1 (2021).

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