Berlin 2012 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 6: Physics of Cells II

BP 6.2: Vortrag

Montag, 26. März 2012, 15:30–15:45, H 1028

Optimal cellular mobility for synchronization arising from the gradual recovery of intercellular interactions — •Koichiro Uriu¹, Saul Ares², Andrew C. Oates¹, and Luis G. Morelli¹ — ¹Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany — ²Spanish National Center of Biotechnology CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain

Intercellular communication enables the flow of information in living tissues. During embryonic development, tissues undergo massive reorganization involving cellular movements. These cellular movements can be beneficial for the flow of information, because cells get to see effectively more neighbors as they move. However, cells may need some time to establish and develop new communication channels with their new neighbors. Then, if the movement is too fast, they may fail to establish functional communication channels, and movement will be detrimental to information flow. Here we address these questions in the context of moving coupled oscillators, a model system motivated by genetic oscillations in the vertebrate segmentation clock. We find that there is an optimal moving rate for which synchronization is faster and stronger, and a critical moving rate above which synchronization is not possible. These features are the consequence of a competition between the time scale for cellular mobility and that for the recovery of intercellular interaction. Our study indicates that the competition between these two time scales is key to the flow of information in living tissues.