Geometric signatures of tissue surface tension in a three-dimensional model of confluent tissue

In dense biological tissues, cell types performing different roles remain segregated by maintaining sharp interfaces. To better understand the mechanisms for such compartmentalization, we study effect of an imposed heterotypic tension at interface between two distinct in a fully 3D Voronoi model confluent tissues. We find that cells rapidly sort and self-organize to generate tissue-scale types, adjacent this exhibit signature geometric features including nematic-like ordering, bimodal facet areas, registration, or alignment, centers on either side two-tissue interface. The magnitude these scales directly with tension, suggesting biologists can estimate tissue surface simply segmenting tissue. uncover underlying physical driving features, develop minimal, ordered models using lattices identify energetic competition bulk shapes area. When area dominates, changes neighbor topology are costly occur less frequently, which generates observed features.