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Enhanced persistence and collective migration in cooperatively aligning cell clusters.

Vincent E Debets1, Liesbeth M C Janssen1, Cornelis Storm1

  • 1Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

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Small cell clusters move differently than single cells or large tissues. Their movement persistence increases with cell number, while random movement decreases, impacting cancer metastasis.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cellular Dynamics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Cellular locomotion is crucial for adaptation and exploration.
  • Research has focused on single cells and confluent tissues, neglecting small cell clusters.
  • Small clusters are relevant in development and cancer metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To understand how small cell cluster motility changes with the number of cells (N).
  • To investigate the biophysical mechanisms governing collective cell migration in small clusters.
  • To explore the link between cluster properties and metastatic potential.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized cellular Potts models for simulation.
  • Applied analytical active matter theory for mathematical analysis.
  • Investigated collective durotaxis in small clusters.

Main Results:

  • Cluster persistence time increases with N.
  • Intrinsic diffusivity of clusters decreases with N.
  • Collective migration in small clusters can be more effective than single-cell migration due to cooperation and alignment.

Conclusions:

  • Small cell clusters exhibit distinct migratory properties compared to single cells or large tissues.
  • Cooperation and alignment within clusters enhance migrational efficacy.
  • Findings offer insights into the biophysical origins of enhanced metastatic potential in small tumor cell clusters.