Fluctuation-Induced Electromechanical Transitions in Active Cell Aggregates

Abstract Living tissues are fundamentally distinct from passive matter; they generate internal forces, sustain autonomous flows, and communicate through complex electrical signaling. While these active processes drive the non-equilibrium fluctuations that shape tissue mechanics, the impact of this “active noise” on electromechanical coupling remains poorly understood. Crucially, while fluctuations in active cell membranes have been extensively studied, a comparable theoretical understanding at the tissue scale remains elusive. In this study, we propose a coarse-grained theoretical framework that integrates thermal and active noise into a unified electromechanical field theory for cell aggregates. By applying Langevin dynamics, we derive the fluctuation spectrum of shear strain and demonstrate that cellular activity fundamentally renormalizes the tissue's elastic and electromechanical properties. Our model shows that active fluctuations can soften tissue stiffness and couple non-linearly with electrical potential, triggering activity-driven shifts in phase behavior. These results suggest that active noise is not a mere background disturbance but a primary driver of electromechanical state changes, potentially offering a mechanistic lens through which to view morphogenesis, mechanosensation, and bioelectric patterning