We investigate the elasticity of an unsupported epithelial monolayer and we discover that unlike a thin solid plate, which wrinkles if geometrically incompatible with the underlying substrate, the epithelium may… Click to show full abstract
We investigate the elasticity of an unsupported epithelial monolayer and we discover that unlike a thin solid plate, which wrinkles if geometrically incompatible with the underlying substrate, the epithelium may do so even in the absence of the substrate. From a cell-based model, we derive an exact elasticity theory and discover wrinkling driven by the differential apico-basal surface tension. Our theory is mapped onto that for supported plates by introducing a phantom substrate whose stiffness is finite beyond a critical differential tension. This suggests a new mechanism for an autonomous control of tissues over the length scale of their surface patterns.
               
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