Patterns of periodic holes created by increased cell motility.
The reaction and diffusion of morphogens is a mechanism widely used to explain many spatial patterns in physics, chemistry and developmental biology. However, because experimental control is limited in most biological systems, it is often unclear what mechanisms account for the biological patterns that arise. Here, we study a biological model of cultured vascular mesenchymal cells (VMCs), which normally self-organize into aggregates that form into labyrinthine configurations. We use an experimental control and a mathematical model that includes reacting and diffusing morphogens and a third variable reflecting local cell density. With direct measurements showing that cell motility was increased ninefold and threefold by inhibiting either Rho kinase or non-muscle myosin-II, respectively, our experimental results and mathematical modelling demonstrate that increased motility alters the multicellular pattern of the VMC cultures, from labyrinthine to a pattern of periodic holes. These results suggest implications for the tissue engineering of functional replacements for trabecular or spongy tissue such as endocardium and bone.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department ,  University of California ,  Los Angeles, CA ,  USA.
Ting-Hsuan
TH
Chen
Chunyan
C
Guo
Xin
X
Zhao
Yucheng
Y
Yao
Kristina I
KI
Boström
Margaret N
MN
Wong
Yin
Y
Tintut
Linda L
LL
Demer
Chih-Ming
CM
Ho
Alan
A
Garfinkel