Liquid properties of embryonic tissues: Measurement of interfacial tensions

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Abstract
The flow of embryonic tissues during morphogenesis has been ascribed to tissue interfacial tensions arising from cell adhesion. Testing this explanation requires the demonstration that tissue interfacial tensions are measurable physical quantities. We describe a device that continuously records all parameters necessary to determine the tensions of living tissues at the interface with the surrounding medium. We monitor the relaxation of an imposed stress in two embryonic tissues, measure their interfacial tensions, and demonstrate that these are consistent with these tissues’ mutual spreading behavior.