Nature Physics, Published online: 02 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03282-8
Phase transitions in cellular collectives are triggered by multiple control parameters. Independently tuning cell density and adhesion, both in silico and in vivo, reveals that adhesion dictates the tissue material state. Adhesion-driven solidification in unjammed pluripotent tissues is shown to drive epithelial organization — uncovering that phase transitions direct developmental programmes.
