Data from: A unified rheological model for cells and cellularised materials

The mechanical response of single cells and tissues exhibits a broad
distribution of time scales that gives often rise to a distinctive
power-law rheology. Such complex behaviour cannot be easily captured by
traditional rheological approaches, making material characterisation and
predictive modelling very challenging. Here, we present a novel model
combining conventional viscoelastic elements with fractional calculus that
successfully captures the macroscopic relaxation response of epithelial
monolayers. The parameters extracted from the fitting of the relaxation
modulus allow prediction of the response of the same material to slow
stretch and creep, indicating that the model captured intrinsic material
properties. Two characteristic times, derived from the model parameters,
delimit different regimes in the materials response. We compared the
response of tissues with the behaviour of single cells as well as intra
and extra-cellular components, and linked the power-law behaviour of the
epithelium to the dynamics of the cell cortex. Such a unified model for
the mechanical response of biological materials provides a novel and
robust mathematical approach to consistently analyze experimental data and
uncover similarities and differences in reported behaviour across
experimental methods and research groups. It also sets the foundations for
more accurate computational models of tissues mechanics.