Physical models of embryonic epithelial healing: A review

TL;DR

Different classes of physical models are reviewed, from discrete to continuum models, and how they address key questions about the mechanics, signaling, and coordination of cells during wound closure, to highlight tensions between model complexity and interpretability.

Abstract

Embryonic healing in epithelial tissues is distinct from adult wound healing, as it lacks inflammatory responses or immune cell recruitments, making it ideal to test models of wound healing driven primarily by epithelial dynamics. Many models have been developed to describe this process, ranging from simple mechanistic models to more elaborate multiscale simulations. We review different classes of physical models, from discrete to continuum models, and how they address key questions about the mechanics, signaling, and coordination of cells during wound closure. We highlight tensions between model complexity and interpretability and discuss recent efforts to bridge gaps across scales. Finally, we identify directions for hybrid modeling and model-experiment integration that could push forward our understanding of epithelial repair in development and disease.

Figures (2)

• Figure 1: Wound healing in embryonic epithelial tissues, displaying both the purse-string (red cable at wound border) and cell crawling (protrusions in leading edge cells).
• Figure 2: 2D deformation of a continuous body from an undeformed configuration $B_0$ to a deformed configuration $B_t$. $\textbf{X}$ and $\textbf{x}$ are the positions of an arbitrary point in the body in the undeformed and deformed configurations, respectively. In the example above the body has experienced a pure shear and a rotation.