Collective cell motion in an epithelial sheet can be quantitatively described by a stochastic interacting particle model.

ABSTRACT: Modelling the displacement of thousands of cells that move in a collective way is required for the simulation and the theoretical analysis of various biological processes. Here, we tackle this question in the controlled setting where the motion of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells in a confluent epithelium is triggered by the unmasking of free surface. We develop a simple model in which cells are described as point particles with a dynamic based on the two premises that, first, cells move in a stochastic manner and, second, tend to adapt their motion to that of their neighbors. Detailed comparison to experimental data show that the model provides a quantitatively accurate description of cell motion in the epithelium bulk at early times. In addition, inclusion of model "leader" cells w

SUBMITTER: Sepulveda N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3591275 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature