Tetley Robert J, Staddon Michael F, Heller Davide, Hoppe Andreas, Banerjee Shiladitya, Mao Yanlan
MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Nat Phys. 2019 Jul 4;15(11):1195-1203. doi: 10.1038/s41567-019-0618-1. Epub 2019 Aug 12.
The collective behaviour of cells in epithelial tissues is dependent on their mechanical properties. However, the contribution of tissue mechanics to wound healing remains poorly understood. Here we investigate the relationship between tissue mechanics and wound healing in live wing imaginal discs and show that by tuning epithelial cell junctional tension, we can systematically alter the rate of wound healing. Coincident with the contraction of an actomyosin purse string, we observe cells flowing past each other at the wound edge by intercalating, reminiscent of molecules in a fluid, resulting in seamless wound closure. Using a cell-based physical model, we predict that a reduction in junctional tension fluidises the tissue through an increase in intercalation rate and corresponding reduction in bulk viscosity, in the manner of an unjamming transition. The resultant fluidisation of the tissue accelerates wound healing. Accordingly, when we experimentally reduce tissue tension in wing discs, intercalation rate increases and wounds repair in less time.
上皮组织中细胞的集体行为取决于它们的力学特性。然而，组织力学对伤口愈合的贡献仍知之甚少。在这里，我们研究了活的翅成虫盘组织力学与伤口愈合之间的关系，并表明通过调节上皮细胞连接张力，我们可以系统地改变伤口愈合的速度。与肌动球蛋白收缩环的收缩同时发生的是，我们观察到伤口边缘的细胞通过插入相互流动，这让人联想到流体中的分子，从而实现无缝伤口闭合。使用基于细胞的物理模型，我们预测连接张力的降低会通过增加插入率和相应降低体积粘度使组织流化，这类似于解阻塞转变的方式。组织的流化加速了伤口愈合。因此，当我们通过实验降低翅成虫盘的组织张力时，插入率增加，伤口在更短的时间内修复。
