Abstract
Epithelial cell organization and the mechanical stability of tissues are closely related. In this context, it has been recently shown that packing optimization in bended/folded epithelia is achieved by a surface tension energy minimization mechanism that leads to a novel cellular shape: the scutoid. However, further cellular and tissue level implications of this new developmental paradigm remain unknown. Here we focus on the relation of this complex cellular shape and the connectivity between cells. We address this problem using a combination of computational, experimental, and biophysical approaches in tubular epithelia. We dissect the contribution of the energetic drivers inducing the complex three-dimensional packing of these tissues. We conclude that tubular epithelia satisfy a novel principle, the “Flintstones’ law”, that links tissue geometry and energetic profiles with the average cellular connectivity in epithelia. Our study unveils a quantitative morphogenetic law with key physiological consequences.
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