Cell Sorting in an Active Nematic Vertex Model

TL;DR

This study models cell sorting in an active nematic vertex framework, revealing how different activities influence phase separation and cell neighbor exchanges, with implications for understanding tissue organization.

Contribution

It introduces an extended vertex model incorporating active nematic stresses to analyze how extensile and contractile activities affect cell sorting and phase separation.

Findings

Phase separation increases with contractile activity.

Extensile activity non-monotonically affects sorting, reducing it at high levels.

Extensile activity induces motility, promoting neighbor exchanges.

Abstract

We study a mixture of extensile and contractile cells using a vertex model extended to include active nematic stresses. The two cell populations phase separate over time. While phase separation strengthens monotonically with an increasing magnitude of contractile activity, the dependence on extensile activity is non-monotonic, so that sufficiently high values reduce the extent of sorting. We interpret this by showing that extensile activity renders the system motile, enabling cells to undergo neighbour exchanges. Contractile cells that come into contact as a result are then more likely to stay connected due to an effective attraction arising from contractile activity.