Modeling wound healing using active deformable cells

In vitro experiments where wounds are introduced into cell layers such as the ectoderm and epithelial sheets have provided key insights into wound healing mechanisms. However, we are not yet able to predict the rate of wound closure and the shape and arrangement of cells during wound closure for different cell types and organisms. In this work, we employ the deformable particle (DP) model to simulate the mechanics of wound healing in cell monolayers. Each cell is described as an individual deformable polygon, subject to a shape-energy function and cell-cell interactions. Cells generate adhesive protrusions and contractile tension, mimicking known mechanisms of healing for small wounds. By varying the cell surface tension and adhesion strength in the DP model, we show that these two microscopic parameters govern rosette formation, wound closure rates, and cell shape changes during wound healing.