Dynamics of a cell motility model near the sharp interface limit

TL;DR

This paper numerically investigates a minimal phase-field model of cell motility near the sharp interface limit, revealing various motion states and analyzing the loss of persistent movement as the limit is approached.

Contribution

It provides new numerical insights into the behavior of a minimal cell motility model near the sharp interface limit, including state characterization and parameter effects.

Findings

Identification of immobile, persistent, and rotating states.

Analysis of the loss of persistent motion near the sharp interface limit.

Relationship between cell speed and biophysical parameters.

Abstract

Phase-field models have recently had great success in describing the dynamic morphologies and motility of eukaryotic cells. In this work we investigate the minimal phase-field model introduced in [Berlyand, Potomkin, Rybalko (2017)]. Rigorous analysis of its sharp interface limit dynamics was completed in [Mizuhara, Berlyand, Rybalko, Zhang (2016); Mizuhara, Zhang (2019)], where it was observed that persistent cell motion was not stable. In this work we numerically study the pre-limiting phase-field model near the sharp interface limit, to better understand this lack of persistent motion. We find that immobile, persistent, and rotating states are all exhibited in this minimal model, and investigate the loss of persistent motion in the sharp interface limit. In addition we study cell speed as a function of biophysical parameters.