Correlated cell movements drive epithelial finger formation

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Kammeraat, Sander C., Keta, Yann-Edwin, Appleton, Paul, Newton, Ian P., Liverpool, Tanniemola B., Sknepnek, Rastko, Näthke, Inke, Henkes, Silke
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Kammeraat, Sander C.
Keta, Yann-Edwin
Appleton, Paul
Newton, Ian P.
Liverpool, Tanniemola B.
Sknepnek, Rastko
Näthke, Inke
Henkes, Silke
author_facet Kammeraat, Sander C.
Keta, Yann-Edwin
Appleton, Paul
Newton, Ian P.
Liverpool, Tanniemola B.
Sknepnek, Rastko
Näthke, Inke
Henkes, Silke
contents Epithelia form protective barriers in multicellular organisms. To maintain homeostasis, they must be able to regenerate and heal damaged areas. This occurs through collective cell migration, during which finger-like protrusions commonly appear. Whether these protrusions are driven by specialised leader cells, biochemical cues, or generic physical interactions remains unclear. Integrating in vitro imaging, agent-based simulations, and continuum modelling, we show that correlated active cell motion alone suffices to produce fingers. Leader cells, signalling, and proliferation modulate, but do not trigger, this pattern. Our results show that the key mechanism underlying a complex biological process can be understood using a general framework of the physics of dense active matter.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_01046
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Correlated cell movements drive epithelial finger formation
Kammeraat, Sander C.
Keta, Yann-Edwin
Appleton, Paul
Newton, Ian P.
Liverpool, Tanniemola B.
Sknepnek, Rastko
Näthke, Inke
Henkes, Silke
Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
Epithelia form protective barriers in multicellular organisms. To maintain homeostasis, they must be able to regenerate and heal damaged areas. This occurs through collective cell migration, during which finger-like protrusions commonly appear. Whether these protrusions are driven by specialised leader cells, biochemical cues, or generic physical interactions remains unclear. Integrating in vitro imaging, agent-based simulations, and continuum modelling, we show that correlated active cell motion alone suffices to produce fingers. Leader cells, signalling, and proliferation modulate, but do not trigger, this pattern. Our results show that the key mechanism underlying a complex biological process can be understood using a general framework of the physics of dense active matter.
title Correlated cell movements drive epithelial finger formation
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.01046