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arXiv · 1707.05557

Cell growth, division and death in cohesive tissues: a thermodynamic approach

Shunsuke Yabunaka·Philippe Marcq
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Abstract

Cell growth, division and death are defining features of biological tissues that contribute to morphogenesis. In hydrodynamic descriptions of cohesive tissues, their occurrence implies a non-zero rate of variation of cell density. We show how linear nonequilibrium thermodynamics allows to express this rate as a combination of relevant thermodynamic forces: chemical potential, velocity divergence, and activity. We illustrate the resulting effects of the non-conservation of cell density on simple examples inspired by recent experiments on cell monolayers, considering first the velocity of a spreading front, and second an instability leading to mechanical waves.

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Shunsuke Yabunaka, Philippe Marcq. 2017-07-18. Cell growth, division and death in cohesive tissues: a thermodynamic approach. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.96.022406

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