Cellular invasion without cellular motility in a stochastic growth model.
Invasion of a tissue by distinct cell types is common to various biological processes including embryonic development and tumour growth. Active movement is usually considered to be a prerequisite for invasiveness. Using a computer simulation program based on a stochastic cellular automata model, we provide evidence that invasive patterns may evolve in the absence of active cellular motility. Cells characterized by low proliferation, a high rate of cell loss, pronounced tumour-stroma adhesion and an expansive instead of a destructive behaviour invade the surrounding matrix, despite a complete lack of active movement. The resulting morphological patterns are similar to those obtained with motile cells. Thus invasion does not necessarily indicate the presence of motility.
Smolle
J
J
Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Austria.
Hofmann-Wellenhof
R
R
Fink-Puches
R
R
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D016923:Cell Death; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012984:Software; D013269:Stochastic Processes