Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 9: Poster Session Ib

BP 9.8: Poster

Monday, March 18, 2024, 18:00–20:30, Poster D

Adhesion-based active gel model for 1D cell migration — •Valentin Wössner, Oliver M. Drozdowski, Falko Ziebert, and Ulrich S. Schwarz — Institute for Theoretical Physics and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg

Active gel theory has demonstrated that actomyosin contractility is sufficient for polarization and self-sustained cell migration in the absence of external cues. However, in these models, the dynamic character of substrate adhesion is usually neglected, although it seems to play an important role in more complex migration modes and during motility initiation. Simple models based on bond dynamics have been suggested for the required adhesion dynamics, but these do not include intracellular flows. Here we show that, in a one-dimensional setting, active gel theory can be extended by such adhesion dynamics and that load sharing is the cooperative effect that is required to obtain symmetry breaking. For intermediate adhesiveness, symmetric actin polymerization then leads to robust motility in a bistable regime. Our model predicts adhesion and flow profiles in qualitative agreement with experimental results. We also study switching between sessile and motile states by applying nonlinear perturbations as well as cell behavior on adhesive pattern.

Keywords: cell migration; adhesion; active gel theory; spontaneous symmetry breaking