Broad-tailed force distributions and velocity ordering in a heterogeneous membrane model for collective cell migration

TL;DR

This paper presents a physical model of a heterogeneous elastic membrane to explain velocity ordering, force distribution tails, and swirling velocity patterns observed in collective cell migration after wounding.

Contribution

It introduces a simple force-driven membrane model that qualitatively reproduces key experimental observations in collective cell migration.

Findings

Velocity ordering spreads from wound boundary inward.

Traction force distributions exhibit exponential tails.

Swirling velocity patterns are observed in tissue interior.

Abstract

Correlated velocity patterns and associated large length-scale transmission of traction forces have been observed in collective live cell migration as a response to a "wound". We argue that a simple physical model of a force-driven heterogeneous elastic membrane sliding over a viscous substrate can qualitatively explain a few experimentally observed facts: (i) the growth of velocity ordering which spreads from the wound boundary to the interior, (ii) the exponential tails of the traction force distributions, and (iii) the swirling pattern of velocities in the interior of the tissue.