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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Published on: November 9, 2017

Cells use molecular working memory to navigate in changing chemoattractant fields.

Akhilesh Nandan¹, Abhishek Das¹, Robert Lott¹

¹Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.

|June 6, 2022

Summary

Cells use a molecular working memory to navigate complex chemical signals. This mechanism allows for persistent directional migration and adaptation to changing environments, revealing insights into cellular navigation.

Keywords:

EGF-induced migration changing environments criticality human molecular working memory physics of living systems real-time navigation single cell polarization

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Last Updated: Sep 20, 2025

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Published on: November 9, 2017

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Imaging G-protein Coupled Receptor GPCR-mediated Signaling Events that Control Chemotaxis of Dictyostelium Discoideum

Imaging G-protein Coupled Receptor GPCR-mediated Signaling Events that Control Chemotaxis of Dictyostelium Discoideum

Published on: September 20, 2011

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Systems Biology

Background:

Cells migrate over long distances by sensing chemical gradients.
Existing mechanisms struggle to explain persistent migration amidst disrupted or changing signals.
Cellular adaptation to dynamic signaling environments remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the molecular mechanism enabling persistent directional cell migration in response to irregular and changing chemical cues.
To investigate how cells maintain directional persistence while adapting to dynamic signal localization.
To identify the computational principles underlying cellular navigation in complex chemoattractant fields.

Main Methods:

Theoretical derivation of receptor network dynamics.
Time-resolved live-cell imaging of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) phosphorylation.
Analysis of signaling state metastability and remnant dynamics.

Main Results:

Cells employ a molecular working memory mechanism for directional migration.
A transiently polarized signaling state acts as a 'ghost' to guide migration.
This metastable state allows for adaptive responses to new signal encounters.
EGFR phosphorylation dynamics reveal memory-guided persistent migration.

Conclusions:

Cells utilize a novel working memory mechanism for navigation in dynamic chemoattractant fields.
The identified mechanism balances directional persistence with environmental adaptability.
This study reveals fundamental principles of real-time computation in cellular navigation.