Competition between epithelial tissue elasticity and surface tension in cancer morphogenesis

We derive a continuum mechanical model to capture the morphological changes occurring at pretumoral stage of epithelial tissues. The proposed aims investigate competition between bulk elasticity epithelium and surface tensions apical basal sides. According this model, when apico-basal tension imbalance reaches critical value, subcritical bifurcation is triggered attains its physiological folded shape. Based on data available in literature, our predicts that cells are softer than healthy cells.