Tension directs cancer cell migration over fiber alignment through energy minimization

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biophysics
• Mechanobiology

Background:

• Cell migration is crucial for biological processes like metastasis.
• Tissue mechanics, including collagen fiber alignment and tension, influence cell migration.
• Decoupling these mechanical cues is essential for understanding their individual impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the individual effects of collagen fiber alignment and tension on cell migration.
• To determine how these cues influence the force and energy requirements for cell motility.
• To understand the role of energy minimization in directing cell migration through fibrous matrices.

Main Methods:

• Decoupling of collagen fiber alignment and tension in experimental models.
• Computational modeling to analyze mechanical cues and energy requirements.
• Experimental validation of computational predictions regarding cell migration pathways.

Main Results:

• Cells preferentially migrate along the axis of tension, even against collagen fiber alignment.
• Applying tension perpendicular to fiber alignment increases stored potential energy in the matrix.
• This increased potential energy reduces the cell's energy expenditure for matrix deformation during migration.

Conclusions:

• Cell migration trajectory is directed by energy minimization principles.
• Applied tension can facilitate cell migration against the direction of collagen fiber alignment.
• Findings offer insights into the bioenergetics of cell migration within fibrous extracellular matrices.