title: Emergent structures and dynamics of cell colonies by contact inhibition of locomotion.
abstract: Cells in tissues can organize into a broad spectrum of structures according to their function. Drastic changes of organization, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transitions or the formation of spheroidal aggregates, are often associated either to tissue morphogenesis or to cancer progression. Here, we study the organization of cell colonies by means of simulations of self-propelled particles with generic cell-like interactions. The interplay between cell softness, cell-cell adhesion, and contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) yields structures and collective dynamics observed in several existing tissue phenotypes. These include regular distributions of cells, dynamic cell clusters, gel-like networks, collectively migrating monolayers, and 3D aggregates. We give analytical predictions for transitions between noncohesive, cohesive, and 3D cell arrangements. We explicitly show how CIL yields an effective repulsion that promotes cell dispersal, thereby hindering the formation of cohesive tissues. Yet, in continuous monolayers, CIL leads to collective cell motion, ensures tensile intercellular stresses, and opposes cell extrusion. Thus, our work highlights the prominent role of CIL in determining the emergent structures and dynamics of cell colonies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics, and Sensors, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; bart.smeets@biw.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smeets
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada & Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1885-9177
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alert
authors.affiliation: Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics, and Sensors, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jiří
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pešek
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada & Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pagonabarraga
authors.affiliation: Division of Mechatronics, Biostatistics, and Sensors, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ramon
authors.affiliation: Université Grenoble Alpes, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), F-38000 Grenoble, France.|Laboratoire d'électronique des technologies de l'information (CEA-LETI), Micro and Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (MINATEC), F-38054 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Romaric
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003260:Contact Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013718:Tensile Strength
keywords: cell monolayers; cell–cell adhesion; collective motion; contact inhibition of locomotion; self-propelled particles