The mechanics and dynamics of cancer cells sensing noisy 3D contact guidance
Abstract
The spatial organization of ECM fibers biases the polarization and migration of cancer cells, a phenomenon known as contact guidance which is directly linked to the clinical outcome of cancers. In physiological conditions, ECM fibers do not align perfectly in parallel. Therefore, we study the morphological and migrational response of breast cancer cells to ECM fibers aligned to various degrees. We identify the cell’s aspect ratio as an integrated biomarker that determines its sensitivity to contact guidance cues. We also find that the level of ECM alignment modulates transitions between cells of differing morphology. Taken together, we show that cells integrate complex mechanical cues to determine their morphodynamics, thereby controlling polarization and migration in 3D ECM.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Mar 03, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.2024780118
Entities
People
- Bo Sun
- Christopher Eddy
- Herbert Levine
- Jihan Kim
- Wouter-Jan Rappel
- Youyuan Deng
- Yuansheng Cao
Organizations
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- National Science Foundation
- Northeastern University
- Oregon State University
- United States Department of Defense
- University of California, San Diego