title: Modelling cellular aggregation induced by chemotaxis and phototaxis.
abstract: We use a generic agent-based model to investigate cellular aggregation in response to cell-cell interactions. Cells secrete soluble chemokines that are detected by other cells which carry specific receptors for this chemokine. In a process termed 'chemotaxis' the direction of motility of cells is determined by the concentration gradient of chemokines. 'Phototaxis' relies on the detection of light by intracellular receptors. In particular, we consider the case where intercellular signalling is induced by light that is emitted by the cells themselves. While chemotaxis is a frequently analysed and modelled intercellular communication path, phototaxis is only rarely investigated. We characterize and compare the collective response of cells to these mechanisms and show that chemotaxis and phototaxis can be distinguished by the emerging aggregation profile. This result provides a guideline to differentiate between these cell-cell interactions under specific circumstances in experiment.
authors.affiliation: Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Goethe University Frankfurt, Ruth-Moufang-Strasse 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. fatehi@fias.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Hasnaa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fatehi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer-Hermann
authors.forename: Marc Thilo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Figge
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines