Trade-off between branching and polarity controls decision-making during cell migration.

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biophysics
• Theoretical Biology

Background:

• Motile cells encounter environmental obstacles, necessitating multiple protrusions for navigation.
• Previous analyses of cell directionality were limited to single-junction scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the migratory behavior of highly branched cells in complex geometries.
• To develop a theoretical model for understanding directional decision-making in cells facing multiple junctions.

Main Methods:

• Combined live-cell imaging with a coarse-grained biophysical model.
• Studied macrophages and endothelial cells on hexagonal networks.

Main Results:

• The model predicts directional choices arise from seesaw-like oscillations between competing cellular protrusions.
• Macrophages and endothelial cells exhibit distinct migratory regimes despite a shared mesenchymal strategy.
• Identified a trade-off between protrusion number (for exploration) and migration speed (for efficiency).

Conclusions:

• Cellular shape dynamics are crucial for navigation in complex microenvironments.
• The model provides insights into how cells balance local exploration with efficient long-range migration.
• Understanding these dynamics is key for regulating cell movement in confined spaces.