Collective cell migration | EPFL Graph Search

Collective cell migration describes the movements of group of cells and the emergence of collective behavior from cell-environment interactions and cell-cell communication. Collective cell migration is an essential process in the lives of multicellular organisms, e.g. embryonic development, wound healing and cancer spreading (metastasis). Cells can migrate as a cohesive group (e.g. epithelial cells) or have transient cell-cell adhesion sites (e.g. mesenchymal cells). They can also migrate in different modes like sheets, strands, tubes, and clusters. While single-cell migration has been extensively studied, collective cell migration is a relatively new field with applications in preventing birth defects or dysfunction of embryos. It may improve cancer treatment by enabling doctors to prevent tumors from spreading and forming new tumors. The environment of the migrating cell can affect its speed, persistence and direction of migration by stimulating it. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides not only the structural and biochemical support, but also plays a major role in regulating cell behavior. Different ECM proteins (such as collagen, elastin, fibronectin, laminin, and others) allow cells to adhere and migrate, while forming focal adhesions in the front and disassembling them in the back. Using these adhesion sites, cells also sense the mechanical properties of the ECM. Cells can be guided by a gradient of those proteins (haptotaxis) or a gradient of soluble substrates in the liquid phase surrounding the cell (chemotaxis). Cells sense the substrate through their receptors and migrate toward the concentration (or the opposite direction). Another form of stimulation can be rigidity gradients of the ECM (durotaxis). Collective cell migration is enhanced by geometrical confinement of an extracellular matrix molecule (e.g. the proteoglycan versican in neural crest cells), that acts as a barrier, to promote the emergence of organized migration in separated streams.

Characterization of the Mercapturic Acid Pathway, an Important Phase II Biotransformation Route, in a Zebrafish Embryo Cell Line

Kristin Schirmer, Alena Tierbach

In view of the steadily increasing number of chemical compounds used in various products and applications, high-throughput toxicity screening techniques can help meeting the needs of 21st century risk assessment. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), especially its ear ...

AMER CHEMICAL SOC2020

A model for 3D deformation and reconstruction of contractile microtissues

Mahmut Selman Sakar, Jaemin Kim, Erik Mailand, Nikolaos Bouklas

Tissue morphogenesis and regeneration are essentially mechanical processes that involve coordination of cellular forces, production and structural remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM), and cell migration. Discovering the principles of cell–ECM interact ...

2020

Integrated elastomer-based device for measuring the mechanics of adherent cell monolayers

Herbert Shea, Cristina Martin Olmos, Alexandre Poulin, Francesca Sorba

Cells in the body collectively sustain mechanical deformations in almost all physiological functions. From the morphogenesis stage, cells' ability to sustain stress is essential for the body's well-being. Several pathologies have been associated with abnor ...

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY2019