Theoretical analysis of neural crest cell migration

Abstract

The neural crest cells are embryonic stem cells that migrate throughout embryos and, at different target locations, give rise to the formation of a variety of tissues and organs. The directional migration of the neural crest cells is experimentally described using a process referred to as contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL), by which cells redirect their movement upon the cell-cell contacts. However, it is unclear how the migration alignment is affected by the motility properties of the cells. Here, we computationally model the migration alignment and the average time to reach a target location as functions of the motility dynamics and interaction of the cells in an open domain with a channel geometry. The results indicate that by varying the properties of the CIL interaction a transition takes place from random movement of the cells to an organized collective migration, where the migration alignment is maximised and the migration time is minimised. This phase transition is accelerated and strengthened with the influx rate of the cells into the domain through increasing the density of the migrating cells. The model further suggests that the migration is more coordinated when the cells with a large CIL radius move fast in a narrow domain.