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Related Concept Videos

Phase Transitions02:31

Phase Transitions

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Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to...
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Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation02:39

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The physical form of a substance changes on changing its temperature. For example, raising the temperature of a liquid causes the liquid to vaporize (convert into vapor). The process is called vaporization—a surface phenomenon. Vaporization occurs when the thermal motion of the molecules overcome the intermolecular forces, and the molecules (at the surface) escape into the gaseous state. When a liquid vaporizes in a closed container, gas molecules cannot escape. As these gas phase molecules...
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It is vital to regulate the activity of enzymatic as well as non-enzymatic proteins inside the cell. This can be achieved either through creating a balance between their rate of synthesis and degradation or regulating the intrinsic activity of the protein. Both these regulation mechanisms play an essential role in the normal functioning of cells.
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Some solids can transition directly into the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state, via a process known as sublimation. At room temperature and standard pressure, a piece of dry ice (solid CO2) sublimes, appearing to gradually disappear without ever forming any liquid. Snow and ice sublimate at temperatures below the melting point of water, a slow process that may be accelerated by winds and the reduced atmospheric pressures at high altitudes. When solid iodine is warmed, the solid sublimes...
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Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing02:39

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Heating a crystalline solid increases the average energy of its atoms, molecules, or ions, and the solid gets hotter. At some point, the added energy becomes large enough to partially overcome the forces holding the molecules or ions of the solid in their fixed positions, and the solid begins the process of transitioning to the liquid state or melting. At this point, the temperature of the solid stops rising, despite the continual input of heat, and it remains constant until all of the solid is...
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Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
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Absorbing-active transition in a multi-cellular system regulated by a dynamic force network.

Hanqing Nan1, Yu Zheng2, Yiheng H Lin3

  • 1Materials Science and Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. yang.jiao.2@asu.edu.

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|August 22, 2019
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Collective cell migration in 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) involves cells generating pulling forces. A minimal model reveals a critical density transition from isolated clusters to a dynamic, reorganizing active state.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Collective cell migration in 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) is vital for physiological and pathological processes.
  • Migrating cells generate active pulling forces through actin filament contraction, creating a dynamic force network within the ECM.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of the ECM force network in regulating collective cell behaviors.
  • To investigate collective cell dynamics using a minimal active-particle-on-network (APN) model.

Main Methods:

  • Development and analysis of a minimal active-particle-on-network (APN) model.
  • Simulating active particles that pull ECM fibers and exhibit local durotaxis.
  • Identifying critical transitions in particle number density and cluster behavior.

Main Results:

  • A dynamic transition was observed as particle density approached a critical value.
  • The system shifted from an 'absorbing' state (isolated clusters) to an 'active' state (large, reorganizing cluster).
  • A subset of 'radical' particles dominated cluster reorganization, with their numbers also showing a critical transition.

Conclusions:

  • ECM-mediated mechanical coupling provides a robust mechanism for collective cell behaviors in 3D ECM.
  • The observed transition is underpinned by the percolation of 'influence spheres' generated by particle pulling forces.
  • The APN model offers insights into the complex interplay between cell forces and ECM dynamics.