Shape Transition in Artificial Tumors: From Smooth Buckles to Singular Creases

Julien Dervaux (1) , Yves Couder (2) , Marie-Alice Guedeau-Boudeville (2) , Martine Ben Amar (3)

1 LPS - Laboratoire de Physique Statistique de l'ENS
2 MSC - Matière et Systèmes Complexes
3 LPS - Laboratoire de Physique Statistique de l'ENS

Using swelling hydrogels, we study the evolution of a thin circular artificial tumor whose growth is confined at the periphery. When the volume of the outer proliferative ring increases, the tumor loses its initial symmetry and bifurcates towards an oscillatory shape. Depending on the geometrical and elastic parameters, we observe either a smooth large-wavelength undulation of the swelling layer or the formation of sharp creases at the free boundary. Our experimental results as well as previous observations from other studies are in very good agreement with a nonlinear poroelastic model.

Domaines: Matière Molle [cond-mat.soft]; Adaptation et Systèmes auto-organisés [nlin.AO]

Julien Dervaux, Yves Couder, Marie-Alice Guedeau-Boudeville, Martine Ben Amar. Shape Transition in Artificial Tumors: From Smooth Buckles to Singular Creases. Physical Review Letters, 2011, 107 (1), ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.018103⟩. ⟨hal-02326542⟩