Arrested coalescence of multicellular aggregates

• DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00063f
• Publication Date: 2022-05-05T15:06:10Z
• Authors: David Oriola; Miquel Marin-Riera; Kerim Anlaş; Nicola Gritti; Marina Sanaki-Mat...; Germaine Aalderink; Miki Ebisuya; James Sharpe; Vikas Trivedi
• Keywords: Coalescence (physics); Shear modulus

Multicellular aggregates are known to exhibit liquid-like properties. The fusion process of two cell is commonly studied as the coalescence viscous drops. However, tissues complex materials and can viscoelastic behaviour. It that elastic effects prevent complete drops, a phenomenon arrested coalescence. Here we study this in stem provide theoretical framework which agrees with experiments. In addition, agent-based simulations show active fluctuations control solid-to-fluid phase transition, revealing be found vicinity an unjamming transition. By analysing dynamics combining it nanoindentation measurements, obtain effective viscosity, shear modulus surface tension aggregates. More generally, our work provides simple, fast inexpensive method characterize mechanical properties materials.