title: Emergence and Persistence of Collective Cell Migration on Small Circular Micropatterns.
abstract: The spontaneous formation of vortices is a hallmark of collective cellular activity. Here, we study the onset and persistence of coherent angular motion as a function of the number of cells N confined in circular micropatterns. We find that the persistence of coherent angular motion increases with N but exhibits a pronounced discontinuity accompanied by a geometric rearrangement of cells to a configuration containing a central cell. Computer simulations based on a generalized Potts model reproduce the emergence of vortex states and show in agreement with experiment that their stability depends on the interplay of the spatial arrangement and internal polarization of neighboring cells. Hence, the distinct migrational states in finite size ensembles reveal significant insight into the local interaction rules guiding collective migration.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Segerer
authors.affiliation: Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, D-80333 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thüroff
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piera Alberola
authors.affiliation: Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, D-80333 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Rädler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004285:Dogs; D061985:Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; D008954:Models, Biological