Cell-size heterogeneity acts as a regime-dependent mechanical switch for collective migration

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Tissue Mechanics

Background:

• Cell-size heterogeneity is common in epithelial tissues.
• Its effect on collective cell migration is not well understood.
• Fundamental physical principles governing this process are elusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of cell-size heterogeneity on collective cell migration.
• To elucidate the underlying physical mechanisms and energetic principles.
• To establish a framework linking cell size distribution to tissue mechanics and migration.

Main Methods:

• Systematic quantification of work required for cellular neighbor exchanges.
• Analysis of topological remodeling and energetic hierarchies.
• Investigation of the tissue energy landscape in heterogeneous tissues.

Main Results:

• Cell-size heterogeneity acts as a regime-dependent mechanical switch for collective migration.
• It enhances motility in solid-like tissues and suppresses it in fluidized tissues.
• Larger cells act as anchors, increasing rearrangement barriers and stabilizing tissues.

Conclusions:

• Cell size diversity reshapes the tissue energy landscape by altering rearrangement costs.
• Emergent energetic constraints dictate tissue remodeling rates based on mechanical state.
• Cell-size distribution is a tunable parameter influencing epithelial mechanical properties and migratory potential.