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Cellular Contraction and Polarization Drive Collective Cellular Motion.

Jacob Notbohm1, Shiladitya Banerjee2, Kazage J C Utuje3

  • 1Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.

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Collective cell motion involves complex forces. This study reveals internal cellular variables driving coordinated movement and wave formation in epithelial tissues, advancing our understanding of tissue dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular dynamics
  • Biophysics
  • Tissue mechanics

Background:

  • Multicellular systems exhibit coordinated motions like swirls and clusters, driven by active cellular forces.
  • The precise physical nature of these forces and their role in collective cellular motion are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between cellular forces and motion in a confined epithelial monolayer.
  • To elucidate the underlying physical mechanisms driving collective cell migration and wave formation.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental observation of forces and motions in epithelial cell monolayers.
  • Development of a theoretical model incorporating internal cellular state variables.
  • Pharmacological inhibition of cellular contractility to test theoretical predictions.

Main Results:

  • Observed systematic deviation between local cellular motion direction and local substrate traction.
  • Identified spontaneous, oscillating waves of cellular motion.
  • Demonstrated that inhibiting contractility reduces cellular elastic modulus and oscillation frequency.

Conclusions:

  • Collective cellular motion is governed by at least two internal variables.
  • These variables sustain wave propagation and polarize cellular traction, decoupling it from velocity.
  • The findings offer a new framework for understanding active forces in multicellular systems.