Before revision:  We conclude that the computational method presented here has the capacity to reproduce emergent properties ( distribution of cellular forces and mechanical crosstalk ) of epithelial cell aggregates and make predictions for experimental validation. This would benefit the mechanical analysis of epithelial tissues, especially when local changes in cell-cell and/or cell-substrate adhesion drive collective cell behavior.
After revision:  We conclude that the computational method presented here has the capacity to reproduce emergent properties ( distribution of cellular forces and mechanical crosstalk ) of epithelial cell aggregates . By making experimental testable predictions, our approach would benefit the mechanical analysis of epithelial tissues, especially when local changes in cell-cell and/or cell-substrate adhesion drive collective cell behavior.