Void collapsing in spindle-like fibroblast monolayer

Yun-Xuan Zhang^1*, Chun-Yu Liu¹, Hsiang-Ying Chen¹, Lin I¹

¹Department of Physics and Center for Complex Systems, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan

* Presenter:Yun-Xuan Zhang, email:molin7359@gmail.com

Cell monolayer is a model active system exhibiting multiscale dynamical behaviors through the interplay of self-propelling and mutual coupling. However, the dynamics of spindle-like cells from dilute state to confluent monolayer still remains elusive. In this work, we experimentally investigate the growing process of spindle-like fibroblasts from the dilute state. It is found that, through cell proliferation, dispersed spindle-like fibroblasts gradually form irregular bubble-like voids (closed cell-free area) with various sizes. Once formed, the size of voids keeps collapsing before the confluent state. The collapsing rate of naturally formed voids is determined by their initial size and shape factor. In addition, the collapsing dynamics of voids is statistically correlated with surrounding cell motion and local cell density, respectively.

Keywords: Cell monolayer, Spindle-like cells, Void collapsing