Compactivity of cell colonies-relations between living cells inside polymer hydrogel beads

Abstract

The system of living cells closed in a polymer bead as a matrix is considered in formalism of lattice model extended with compactivity concept developed for complex systems in statistical mechanics of jammed state of matter. Possibility of extension of Edwards concept of compactivity developed for hard irregular grains with friction to living cell systems, is considered if function of cell interactions and properties. Existence of critical points in the course of cell colony grow related to their self assembling and response to polymer hydrogel micro-environment resistance, is analyzed in function of cell volume fraction growth. Based on the theory and experiments it is related to characteristic values of compactivity in analogy to phase transition temperatures.. Interpretation of data from literature on cancer cell cluster growth suppression under pressure of microenvironment on the base of model proposed is offered