Activity-driven tissue alignment in proliferating spheroids on arXiv

Bend and splay deformations in proliferating spheroids. (Image by the Authors of the manuscript.)
Activity-driven tissue alignment in proliferating spheroids
Liam Ruske & Julia Yeomans
arxiv: 2208.08258

We extend the continuum theory of active nematic fluids to study cell flows and tissue dynamics inside multicellular spheroids, spherical, self-assembled aggregates of cells that are widely used as model systems to study tumour dynamics. Cells near the surface of spheroids have better access to nutrients and therefore proliferate more rapidly than those in the resource-depleted core. Using both analytical arguments and three-dimensional simulations, we find that the proliferation gradients result in flows and in gradients of activity both of which can align the orientation axis of cells inside the aggregates. Depending on environmental conditions and the intrinsic tissue properties, we identify three distinct alignment regimes: spheroids in which all the cells align either radially or tangentially to the surface throughout the aggregate and spheroids with angular cell orientation close to the surface and radial alignment in the core. The continuum description of tissue dynamics inside spheroids not only allows us to infer dynamic cell parameters from experimentally measured cell alignment profiles, but more generally motivates novel mechanisms for controlling the alignment of cells within aggregates which has been shown to influence the mechanical properties and invasive capabilities of tumors.

Activity gradients in two- and three-dimensional active nematics

Spatial variations of active stress induce active torques, which aligns self-propelled defects along the gradient direction. Additionally there are also passive torques acting on defects induce by the elastic energy associated with deformations of the director field. The magnitude of active and passive torques acting on defects depends on defect type: While +1/2 defects (2D) and +1/2 disclination lines (3D) are dominated by active torque, twist-type disclination are subject to passive torques which aligns them in a way which minimizes the elastic energy of the system. (Illustration by Liam Ruske)
Activity gradients in two- and three-dimensional active nematics
Liam Ruske & Julia Yeomans
Soft Matter 18 5654-5661 (2022)
arxiv: 2206.06499
DOI: 10.1039/D2SM00228K

Abstract:

We numerically investigate how spatial variations of extensile or contractile active stress affect bulk active nematic systems in two and three dimensions. In the absence of defects, activity gradients drive flows which re-orient the nematic director field and thus act as an effective anchoring force. At high activity, defects are created and the system transitions into active turbulence, a chaotic flow state characterized by strong vorticity. We find that in two-dimensional (2D) systems active torques robustly align +1/2 defects parallel to activity gradients, with defect heads pointing towards contractile regions. In three-dimensional (3D) active nematics disclination lines preferentially lie in the plane perpendicular to activity gradients due to active torques acting on line segments. The average orientation of the defect structures in the plane perpendicular to the line tangent depends on the defect type, where wedge-like +1/2 defects align parallel to activity gradients, while twist defects are aligned anti-parallel. Understanding the response of active nematic fluids to activity gradients is an important step towards applying physical theories to biology, where spatial variations of active stress impact morphogenetic processes in developing embryos and affect flows and deformations in growing cell aggregates, such as tumours.

Morphology of active deformable 3D droplets published in Physical Review X

3D droplets composed of active matter change their shape in response to a continuous influx of energy. Active droplets display an unprecedented range of complex morphologies, from cup-shaped droplet invagination, run-and-tumble motion or surface wrinkles caused by contractile activity, to the continuous formation and retraction of finger-like protrusions driven by extensile activity.
Morphology of active deformable 3D droplets
Liam J. Ruske, Julia M. Yeomans
Phys. Rev. X 11, 021001 (2021)

Abstract:
We numerically investigate the morphology and disclination line dynamics of active nematic droplets in three dimensions. Although our model incorporates only the simplest possible form of achiral active stress, active nematic droplets display an unprecedented range of complex morphologies. For extensile activity, fingerlike protrusions grow at points where disclination lines intersect the droplet surface. For contractile activity, however, the activity field drives cup-shaped droplet invagination, run-and-tumble motion, or the formation of surface wrinkles. This diversity of behavior is explained in terms of an interplay between active anchoring, active flows, and the dynamics of the motile disclination lines. We discuss our findings in the light of biological processes such as morphogenesis, collective cancer invasion, and the shape control of biomembranes, suggesting that some biological systems may share the same underlying mechanisms as active nematic droplets.

Presentation by Liam Ruske at CECAM Mixed-Gen and Fundamentals of Growing Active Matter Workshop

3D droplets composed of active matter change their shape in response to a continuous influx of energy. Active droplets display an unprecedented range of complex morphologies, from cup-shaped droplet invagination, run-and-tumble motion or surface wrinkles caused by contractile activity, to the continuous formation and retraction of finger-like protrusions driven by extensile activity.
Liam Ruske has taken the opportunity to present and discuss his work on three-dimensional organisation and morphology of active droplets at the CECAM Mixed-Gen series on March 4 and the Fundamental of Growing Active Matter workshop on March 25.

A lot is understood about the ways in which single cells move, but there are still many questions about the motion and organisation of cell aggregates where cells coupled through intercellular junctions show a range of collective behaviours.

This work, which has been recently published Phys. Rev. X 11, 021001 (2021), shows the potential of active nematic continuum models to describe collective cell motion in a three dimensional environment.

Popular Summary:

Active matter describes systems—living and synthetic—where a continuous influx of energy at the level of individual components leads to striking collective behavior among the individual components, such as self-organizing bacteria colonies, bird flocks, or polymers in the cytoskeleton of cells. Understanding their behavior has attracted interest for studies of biological systems—from the spread of cancer to the development of organisms—as well the development of mesoscopic engines. Here, we numerically investigate 3D droplets composed of active matter and the ways in which their shapes change in response to the continuous input of energy.

One striking observation is the continuous formation of fingerlike protrusions, reminiscent of the collective motion of invading cancer cells. By changing the mechanical properties of the drop or the activity level, we find several different dynamical responses: For example, the droplet surface can wrinkle in a way that resembles a walnut or the active forces can drive a dimple in the droplet to grow, leading to a cup shape. Such invagination is reminiscent of patterns seen during morphogenesis.

Understanding the behavior of model systems, here a continuum model of active material, is an important step toward the goal of understanding the role of physical theories in the life sciences.

Morphology of active deformable 3D droplets on ArXiv

Morphology of active deformable 3D droplets.

Morphology of active deformable 3D droplets
Liam J. Ruske, Julia M. Yeomans
arXiv: 2010.10427

We numerically investigate the morphology and disclination line dynamics of active nematic droplets in three dimensions. Although our model only incorporates the simplest possible form of achiral active stress, active nematic droplets display an unprecedented range of complex morphologies. For extensile activity finger-like protrusions grow at points where disclination lines intersect the droplet surface. For contractile activity, however, the activity field drives cup-shaped droplet invagination, run-and-tumble motion or the formation of surface wrinkles. This diversity of behaviour is explained in terms of an interplay between active anchoring, active flows and the dynamics of the motile dislocation lines. We discuss our findings in the light of biological processes such as morphogenesis, collective cancer invasion and the shape control of biomembranes, suggesting that some biological systems may share the same underlying mechanisms as active nematic droplets.