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

Abstract

Migrating cells often face microenvironmental constraints that force them to extend multiple, often highly dynamic, protrusions, that compete to choose the new direction. However, the analysis of how cells coordinate shape dynamics during this directional decision-making process has been restricted to single junctions. Here, we present a theoretical model and the corresponding experimental proof of concept using in vivo and in vitro live-cell microscopy and a neuronal network-based image analysis pipeline, to explore the shape and migration dynamics of highly bifurcated cells during spontaneous random migration. We found that macrophages and endothelial cells display different migration regimes in a hexagonal adhesive network, despite sharing a mesenchymal migratory strategy. Macrophages moved faster and presented larger changes in cell length in comparison to endothelial cells. The theoretical model describes the behavior of both cells during directional decision-making, and it reveals a trade-off between exploration for directional cues and long-range migration efficiency, showing the fine tune regulation of shape dynamics in complex geometries. TeaserHighly branched cells require precise control of their shape dynamics to ensure microenvironment exploration while keeping their motility.