• With a new mathematical model, a team of biophysicists has revealed fresh insights into how biological tissues are shaped by the active motion of structural imperfections known as “topological defects.” Published in Physical Review Letters, the results build on our latest understanding of tissue formation and could even help resolve long-standing experimental mysteries surrounding our own organs.
Article Summaries:
- Biophysicists have developed a new mathematical model that shows how self‑propelled topological defects-structural imperfections in cellular arrangements-drive the shaping of living tissues. Published in Physical Review Letters, the study demonstrates that the active motion of these defects can generate large‑scale tissue deformations, offering a mechanistic link between microscopic cell dynamics and macroscopic organ morphology. The findings extend current theories of tissue formation and may help explain longstanding experimental observations about how organs develop and maintain their structure.
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