Macroscopic current generated by local division and apoptosis in a minimal model of tissue dynamics

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that local cell division and apoptosis alone can generate a macroscopic tissue current in a minimal model, without requiring self-propulsion, which could inform tissue engineering strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal computational model showing how local division and apoptosis produce tissue currents without self-propulsion effects.

Findings

Local division and apoptosis generate macroscopic currents.

Currents occur in asymmetric channel geometries.

Results applicable to tissue engineering control methods.

Abstract

We consider a minimal computational model of tissue dynamics with two active ingredients: local particle division and apoptosis. We neglect other non-equilibrium effects such as self-propulsion. We simulated the steady state dynamics inside an asymmetric channel and we found a net macroscopic current along the channel. Although such macroscopic current in a similar geometry has been detected in swimming bacteria, our results showed that local division and apoptosis are sufficient to generate a macroscopic current, without any need for a self-propulsion/swimming mechanism. Our results might have applications in tissue engineering such as controlling tissue growth via a geometrically non-uniform substrate.