The Ladoux/Mege Lab a published a new review in Trends in Cell Biology:
Biophysical principles of cell competition and elimination
Highlights
Cells within heterogeneous tissues can use forces to outcompete and eliminate cells of lower mechanical fitness through various strategies.
Cellular biophysical properties, such as cell–cell or cell–substrate adhesion, force generation and transmission, contractility, and stiffness, can provide a competitive advantage by increasing the mechanical fitness of winner cells.
Elimination strategies involve compressing loser cells through various mechanisms, such as differential growth or force generation, convergent tissue flows, and increased interface contractility; however, high mechanical activity at tissue interfaces can also lead to cell elimination independently of compression.
The nature and direction of forces—that is, compressive or tensile, within or out of the plane—might determine the competition outcome by modulating the fate of losing cells and the direction of their elimination.
Abstract
Cell competition is a highly conserved mechanism through which cells with lower fitness levels than surrounding cells are actively removed from tissues. Differences in fitness may result from intrinsic tissue heterogeneity or be caused by differentiation, infections, or mutations. The resulting competition dynamics act as a key regulator of various biological processes during development and homeostasis. The underlying mechanical factors often remain unclear. Here, we discuss the biophysical principles of cell competition and elimination via extrusion or delamination. Recent advances have uncovered how fitness is determined by cellular mechanical properties, which can regulate winning or losing, and how cells use forces to outcompete each other. Furthermore, forces can influence the fate and direction of eliminated loser cells, which govern functional tissue development and disease progression.
Schoenit A, Mège RM, Ladoux B. Biophysical principles of cell competition and elimination. Trends Cell Biol. 2026 May 18:S0962-8924(26)00067-X. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2026.04.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42151025.
