Rupture strength of living cell monolayers
To fulfil their function, epithelial tissues need to sustain mechanical stresses and avoid rupture. While rupture is usually undesired, it is central to some developmental processes, for example blastocoel formation. Nonetheless, little is known about tissue rupture because it is a multiscale phenomenon that necessitates comprehension of the interplay between mechanical forces and biological processes at the molecular and cellular scales. Here we characterise rupture in epithelial monolayers using mechanical measurements, live imaging and computational modelling. We show that, despite consisting of only a single layer of cells, monolayers can withstand surprisingly large deformations, often accommodating several-fold increases in their length before rupture. At large deformation, epithelia increase their stiffness multiple fold in a process controlled by a supracellular network of keratin filaments. Perturbing keratin network organisation fragilized monolayers and prevented strain-stiffening. Although the kinetics of adhesive bond rupture ultimately control tissue strength, tissue rheology and the history of deformation set the strain and stress at the onset
of fracture.
Funding
Molecular and cellular determinants of cell monolayer mechanics
European Research Council
Find out more...BBSRC sLOLA BB/V019015/1
The mechanics of epithelial tissues
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Find out more...The mechanics of epithelial tissues
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Find out more...A novel experimental tool to investigate the mechanics of cell monolayers at tissue, cellular, and subcellular scales
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
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