Single Cells Spreading on a Protein Lattice Adopt an Energy Minimizing Shape

Abstract

When spreading onto a protein microlattice living cells spontaneously acquire simple shapes determined by the lattice geometry. This suggests that, on a lattice, living cells' shapes are in thermodynamic metastable states. Using a model at thermodynamic equilibrium we are able to reproduce the observed shapes. We build a phase diagram based on two adimensional parameters characterizing essential cellular properties involved in spreading: the cell's compressibility and fluctuations.