Executive Summary : | The morphology of tissue growth and organ development is largely influenced by mechanical cues in the tissue and surrounding environment. Mechanical forces and geometry coordinate cell behavior and extracellular matrix (ECM) through feedback and mechanical homeostasis, leading to emergent properties. The role of elasticity in tissue growth and morphogenesis has been extensively studied, but the role of viscosity versus elasticity of the matrix in tissue response has just begun. Researchers at IITH are developing mathematical models and computational methods using an agent-based model (ABM) and a continuum model to explore how tissue growth and invasive finger formation can be affected. They have already shown that controlling viscoelasticity can have qualitatively different growth and morphology of the tissue. The continuum model is also being developed, and the Newtonian two-phase case shows fluid activity controlling tissue morphology. |