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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 11: Poster A: Single Molecule, Multicellular, Bioimaging, Focus Sessions, etc.

BP 11.27: Poster

Montag, 22. März 2021, 16:30–19:00, BPp

Reversible elastic phase field approach and application to cell monolayers — •Robert Chojowski, Ulrich S. Schwarz, and Falko Ziebert — Institute for Theoretical Physics and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Germany

Force generation and motion of individual cells and cell collectives are fundamental constituents for many biological processes, including development, wound healing and cancer metastasis. Wound healing assays are quantitative experiments in which a 2D cell monolayer moves into empty space, often forming finger-like protrusions. Such experiments have revealed that migrating cell monolayers are both dynamic and elastic at the same time. However, such a combination of properties is very challenging to model with conventional approaches. Here we present a new phase field approach enabling us to predict the dynamics of thin elastic sheets under the action of active stresses and localized forces while ensuring reversibility as required by elasticity[1]. The continuum equations of our model can be solved by a combination of spectral and matrix methods and the numerical solutions can be compared to analytical ones. We demonstrate the potential of our modelling approach by studying several biologically relevant situations and geometries for single cells and cell monolayers, including elastic bars, contractile discs and the formation of elastic protrusions in an expanding monolayer scenario.

[1] R. Chojowski, U.S. Schwarz, F. Ziebert, Reversible elastic phase field approach and application to cell monolayers, Eur. Phys. J. E 43, 63 (2020)