The Ladoux/Mège lab published a new article in Science Advances:
Cytoplasmic crowding drives intracellular viscoelastic increase during epithelial maturation
Abstract:
The cytoplasm is a crowded, active medium whose mechanical properties underpin essential cellular functions, yet how intracellular rheology adapts during tissue maturation remains unclear. Here, we examine the evolution of cytoplasmic viscoelasticity in Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial monolayers as cell density increases. Using magnetic rotational spectroscopy, an active microrheology technique, we quantify zero-shear viscosity and elastic modulus throughout monolayer maturation. We uncover a substantial enhancement of intracellular viscoelasticity correlated with increasing cell density and a concomitant rise in cellular dry mass concentration. Hyperosmotic perturbations on subconfluent monolayers reproduce this effect, confirming cytoplasmic crowding as a driver of rheological changes. Notably, intracellular viscoelasticity scales linearly with dry mass concentration, suggesting a direct coupling between internal mechanics and cytoplasmic concentration during epithelial maturation. These findings establish a link between tissue-level organization and intracellular mechanics, highlighting cytoplasmic crowding as a regulator of epithelial homeostasis and providing a framework to connect rheology with tissue behavior.
Arkowitz G, Destrian O, Aggoun A, Fardin MA, Berto P, Tessier G, Mège RM, Berret JF, Ladoux B. Cytoplasmic crowding drives intracellular viscoelastic increase during epithelial maturation. Sci Adv. 2026 Nov 6;12(45):eaeh7786. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aeh7786. Epub 2026 Nov 4. PMID: 42981405.