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arXiv · 1806.09309

Colliding cells: when active segments behave as active particles

Pierre Recho·Thibaut Putelat·Lev Truskinovsky
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Abstract

Quantifying the outcomes of cells collisions is a crucial step in building the foundations of a kinetic theory of living matter. Here, we develop a mechanical theory of such collisions by first representing individual cells as extended objects with internal activity and then reducing this description to a model of size-less active particles characterized by their position and polarity. We show that, in the presence of an applied force, a cell can either be dragged along or self-propel against the force, depending on the polarity of the cell. The co-existence of these regimes offers a self-consistent mechanical explanation for cell re-polarization upon contact. We rationalize the experimentally observed collision scenarios within the extended and particle models and link the various outcomes with measurable biological parameters.

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Pierre Recho, Thibaut Putelat, Lev Truskinovsky. 2018-06-25. Colliding cells: when active segments behave as active particles. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.100.062403

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