Active Vertex Model for cell-resolution description of epithelial tissue mechanics
Fig 1
In the Vertex Model (VM), a confluent epithelial sheet is represented as a polygonal tiling of the plane with no holes or overlaps.
Each cell is represented by an n−sided polygon. Neighbouring cells share an edge, which models the cell junction as a straight line. Three edges meet at a vertex (dark blue dots). The behaviour of cell i is described by three parameters: 1) reference area , 2) area modulus Ki, and 3) perimeter modulus Γi. In addition, a junction connecting vertices μ and ν has tension Λμν.