Multiscale modelling of motility wave propagation in cell migration

Abstract

The collective motion of cell monolayers within a tissue is a fundamental biological process that occurs during tissue formation, wound healing, cancerous invasion, and viral infection. Experiments have shown that at the onset of migration, the motility is self-generated as a polarization wave starting from the leading edge of the monolayer and progressively propagates into the bulk. However, it is unclear how the propagation of this motility wave is influenced by cellular properties. Here, we investigate this using a computational model based on the Potts model coupled to the dynamics of intracellular polarization. The model captures the propagation of the polarization wave initiated at the leading edge and suggests that the cells cortex can regulate the migration modes: strongly contractile cells may depolarize the monolayer, whereas less contractile cells can form swirling movement. Cortical contractility is further found to limit the cells motility, which (i) decelerates the wave speed and the leading edge progression, and (ii) destabilises the leading edge into migration fingers. Together, our model describes how different cellular properties can contribute to the regulation of collective cell migration.