Understanding the mechanisms causing buckling of epithelial monolayers

Epithelial monolayers form the building blocks of many tissues and organs in the body. Deformation and buckling of these monolayers is an important process in early development and in tissue renewal. It also plays an important role in the progression of cancer within epithelial tissues.

In this study we apply the recently developed Rigid Body Multi–Cellular Framework (RBMCF) to investigate the mechanisms of buckling for an epithelial monolayer attached to a basement membrane and the surrounding stromal tissue. The epithelial monolayer and supporting basement membrane and stromal tissue are modelled using two separate vertex dynamics models and interactions between the two are considered using the RBMCF to ensure biologically realistic interactions. Model simulations are used to investigate the effects of cell–stromal attachment and membrane rigidity on buckling behaviour. We demonstrate that there are two competing modes of buckling, stromal deformation and stromal separation.