Partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition mediates profound gap closure through growth and fluidization
Han Jiang, Chaozhen Wei, Pengbo Wang, Jaivarsini Johnson, Nonthakorn Olaranont, Yifan Gu, Feiyang Chen, Jian Xu, Qi Wen, Min Wu, Yubing Sun
The paper shows that growth-mediated compressive stresses drive millimeter-scale gap closure in MEC1 cells, with fluid-like tissue remodeling enhancing collective closure.
bioRxiv · Nov 1, 2026 · PreprintBiophysics