Vascular networks due to dynamically arrested crystalline ordering of elongated cells

Abstract

Recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that crystallization and glass-like solidification are useful analogies for understanding cell ordering in confluent biological tissues. It remains unexplored how cellular ordering contributes to pattern formation during morphogenesis. With a computational model we show that a system of elongated, cohering biological cells can get dynamically arrested in a network pattern. Our model provides a new explanation for the formation of cellular networks in culture systems that exclude intercellular interaction via chemotaxis or mechanical traction.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Published as: Palm and Merks (2013) Physical Review E 87, 012725. The present version includes a correction in the calculation of the nematic order parameter. Erratum submitted to PRE on Jun 5th 2013. The correction does not affect the conclusion