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Main Authors: Shinde, Rushikesh, Voituriez, Raphaël, Callan-Jones, Andrew
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.11465
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author Shinde, Rushikesh
Voituriez, Raphaël
Callan-Jones, Andrew
author_facet Shinde, Rushikesh
Voituriez, Raphaël
Callan-Jones, Andrew
contents Biological surfaces, such as developing epithelial tissues, exhibit in-plane polar or nematic order and can be strongly curved. Recently, integer (+1) topological defects have been identified as morphogenetic hotspots in living systems. Yet, while +1 defects in active matter on flat surfaces are well-understood, the general principles governing curved active defects remain unknown. Here, we study the dynamics of integer defects in an extensile or contractile polar fluid on two types of morphogenetically-relevant substrates : (1) a cylinder terminated by a spherical cap, and (2) a bump on an otherwise flat surface. Because the Frank elastic energy on a curved surface generically induces a coupling to $\textit{deviatoric}$ curvature, $\mathcal{D}$ (difference between squared principal curvatures), a +1 defect is induced on both surface types. We find that $\mathcal{D}$ leads to surprising effects including localization of orientation gradients and active flows, and particularly for contractility, to hysteresis and bistability between quiescent and flowing defect states.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_11465
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Integer defects, flow localization, and bistability on curved active surfaces
Shinde, Rushikesh
Voituriez, Raphaël
Callan-Jones, Andrew
Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
Biological surfaces, such as developing epithelial tissues, exhibit in-plane polar or nematic order and can be strongly curved. Recently, integer (+1) topological defects have been identified as morphogenetic hotspots in living systems. Yet, while +1 defects in active matter on flat surfaces are well-understood, the general principles governing curved active defects remain unknown. Here, we study the dynamics of integer defects in an extensile or contractile polar fluid on two types of morphogenetically-relevant substrates : (1) a cylinder terminated by a spherical cap, and (2) a bump on an otherwise flat surface. Because the Frank elastic energy on a curved surface generically induces a coupling to $\textit{deviatoric}$ curvature, $\mathcal{D}$ (difference between squared principal curvatures), a +1 defect is induced on both surface types. We find that $\mathcal{D}$ leads to surprising effects including localization of orientation gradients and active flows, and particularly for contractility, to hysteresis and bistability between quiescent and flowing defect states.
title Integer defects, flow localization, and bistability on curved active surfaces
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.11465