Modelling physical limits of migration by a kinetic model with non-local sensing

Area of Science:

• Mathematical Biology
• Cell Biology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Cell migration is crucial for biological processes but can be hindered by environmental factors like dense tissues or overcrowding.
• Existing models often assume a constant cell sensing radius, which may not reflect real-world conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extend a non-local kinetic model of cell migration to incorporate a variable sensing radius.
• To analyze how dynamic environmental sensing influences cell movement and population dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Modified a non-local kinetic model (Loy and Preziosi, 2020) to include position- and time-dependent sensing radii.
• Analyzed macroscopic limits of the modified model.
• Numerically integrated the kinetic transport equation to simulate cell behavior.

Main Results:

• The model demonstrates how cells can adjust their sensing strategy in response to environmental constraints.
• Variable sensing allows cells to navigate complex environments more effectively than models with constant sensing.
• Macroscopic limits reveal emergent population behaviors influenced by individual cell sensing adaptations.

Conclusions:

• Environmental sensing adaptability is critical for understanding cell migration in complex biological tissues.
• The extended kinetic model provides a more realistic framework for studying cell motility in heterogeneous environments.
• This work offers insights into collective cell behaviors influenced by individual sensing capabilities.