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Multimodal perception links cellular state to decision-making in single cells
Bernhard A Kramer1,2, Jacobo Sarabia Del Castillo1, Lucas Pelkmans1
1Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Human cells possess remarkable information processing capabilities, enabling context-aware decisions. Signaling networks adapt to internal states, capturing crucial data for cellular decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Cellular biology
- Systems biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Cellular decision-making relies on processing internal states and external cues.
- The precise mechanisms of reliable cellular information processing remain largely unknown.
- Understanding cellular information capacity is key to deciphering complex biological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the information processing capacity of human cells.
- To quantify signaling responses and cellular state markers.
- To elucidate how cells make state-dependent decisions.
Main Methods:
- Multiplexed quantification of signaling pathway responses.
- Measurement of cellular state markers.
- Analysis of information flow within signaling networks.
Main Results:
- Signaling nodes exhibit adaptive information processing.
- Heterogeneous growth factor responses were observed.
- Signaling nodes captured partially non-redundant information about cellular states.
- Cells demonstrated a high information processing capacity for context-aware decisions.
Conclusions:
- Cellular signaling networks possess significant adaptive information processing capabilities.
- Complexity and heterogeneity in signaling networks facilitate context-specific cellular decisions.
- These mechanisms are crucial for cellular decision-making in multicellular environments.
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