Competing elastic and viscous gradients determine directional cell migration

Area of Science:

• Cell biology
• Biophysics
• Mechanobiology

Background:

• Cell migration is crucial for development, regeneration, and disease.
• Cells navigate using external cues, including mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix.
• Durotaxis (response to stiffness gradients) is known, but viscotaxis (response to relaxation property gradients) is less understood, and their interaction is unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the mechanisms governing viscotaxis.
• To investigate the interaction between durotaxis and viscotaxis.
• To model the interplay of elastic and relaxation gradients in cell migration.

Main Methods:

• Integration of clutch models for cell adhesions.
• Application of active gel theory for cell migration.
• Development of a mathematical model to analyze viscotaxis and durotaxis competition.

Main Results:

• Viscotaxis is mediated by asymmetric cell adhesions polarizing intracellular forces, similar to durotaxis.
• Durotaxis is more efficient in directing cell migration when both elastic and relaxation gradients are present.
• Opposing relaxation gradients can inhibit or redirect migration influenced by elastic gradients.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first mathematical model explaining viscotaxis mechanisms.
• It reveals how viscotaxis and durotaxis interact and compete.
• The findings highlight the complex role of extracellular matrix viscoelasticity in directed cell movement.