Liquid properties of embryonic tissues: Measurement of interfacial tensions

Ramsey A. Foty, Gabor Forgacs, Cathie M. Pfleger, Malcolm S. Steinberg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

227 Scopus citations

Abstract

The flow of embryonic tissues during morphogenesis has been ascribed to tissue interfacial tensions arising from cell adhesion. Testing this explanation requires the demonstration that tissue interfacial tensions are measurable physical quantities. We describe a device that continuously records all parameters necessary to determine the tensions of living tissues at the interface with the surrounding medium. We monitor the relaxation of an imposed stress in two embryonic tissues, measure their interfacial tensions, and demonstrate that these are consistent with these tissues' mutual spreading behavior.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2298-2301
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume72
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 1994

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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