Mechanical stress driven by rigidity sensing governs epithelial stability
Sonam S, Balasubramaniam L, Lin SZ, Ivan YMY, Pi-Jaumà I, Jebane C, Karnat M, Toyama Y, Marcq P, Prost J, Mège RM, Rupprecht JF, Ladoux B (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2023
Journal
Book Volume: 19
Pages Range: 132-141
Journal Issue: 1
DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01826-2
Abstract
Epithelia act as barriers against environmental stresses. They are continuously exposed to various mechanical stress and abrasion, which impact epithelial integrity. The impact of the environment on epithelial integrity remains elusive. By culturing epithelial cells on two-dimensional hydrogels, we observe a loss of epithelial monolayer integrity on soft substrates through spontaneous hole formation. These monolayer ruptures are associated with local cellular stretching and cell-division events. Substrate stiffness triggers an unanticipated mechanical switch of epithelial monolayers from compressive stress on stiff substrates to highly tensile on soft, favouring hole formation. In agreement with an active nematic model, hole-opening events occur preferentially near spontaneous half-integer topological defects, which underpin large isotropic stress fluctuations triggering stochastic mechanical failure. Our results thus show that substrate stiffness provides feedback on the mechanical state of epithelial monolayers with potential application towards a mechanistic understanding of compromised epithelial integrity during normal and pathological human ontogenesis.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Université Paris Cité
France (FR)
Aix-Marseille University / Aix-Marseille Université
France (FR)
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Singapore (SG)
École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris)
France (FR)
France (FR)
Aix-Marseille University / Aix-Marseille Université
France (FR)
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Singapore (SG)
École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris)
France (FR)
How to cite
APA:
Sonam, S., Balasubramaniam, L., Lin, S.Z., Ivan, Y.M.Y., Pi-Jaumà, I., Jebane, C.,... Ladoux, B. (2023). Mechanical stress driven by rigidity sensing governs epithelial stability. Nature Physics, 19(1), 132-141. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01826-2
MLA:
Sonam, Surabhi, et al. "Mechanical stress driven by rigidity sensing governs epithelial stability." Nature Physics 19.1 (2023): 132-141.
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