title: Quantitative Morphology of Epithelial Folds.
abstract: The shape of spatially modulated epithelial morphologies such as villi and crypts is usually associated with the epithelium-stroma area mismatch leading to buckling. We propose an alternative mechanical model based on intraepithelial stresses generated by differential tensions of apical, lateral, and basal sides of cells as well as on the elasticity of the basement membrane. We use it to theoretically study longitudinal folds in simple epithelia and we identify four types of corrugated morphologies: compact, invaginated, evaginated, and wavy. The obtained tissue contours and thickness profiles are compared to epithelial folds observed in invertebrates and vertebrates, and for most samples, the agreement is within the estimated experimental error. Our model establishes the groove-crest modulation of tissue thickness as a morphometric parameter that can, together with the curvature profile, be used to estimate the relative differential apicobasal tension in the epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Štorgel
authors.affiliation: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: matej.krajnc@ijs.si.
authors.forename: Matej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krajnc
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Polona
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mrak
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Štrus
authors.affiliation: Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Primož
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ziherl
mesh_terms: D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008954:Models, Biological; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen