The Voronoi-based cellular model is highly successful in describing the motion of two-dimensional confluent cell tissues. In the homogeneous version of this model, the energy of each cell is determined solely by its geometric shape and size, and the interaction between adjacent cells is a by-product of this additive energy. We generalize this model so as to allow zero or partial contact between cells. We identify several phases, two of which (solid confluent and liquid confluent) were found in previous studies that imposed confluency as well as others that were not. Transitions in this model may be relevant for understanding both normal development as well as cancer metastasis.

• Received 11 March 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.98.042418