Continuum Theory of Active Phase Separation in Cellular Aggregates

Dense cellular aggregates are common in biology, ranging from bacterial biofilms to organoids, cell spheroids, and tumors. Their dynamics, driven by intercellular forces, is intrinsically out of equilibrium. Motivated colonies as a model system, we present continuum theory study dense, active, aggregates. We describe the process aggregate formation an active phase separation phenomenon, while merging rationalized coalescence viscoelastic droplets where key timescales linked turnover force. Our provides general framework for studying rheology nonequilibrium dynamics dense