Multicellular chemotaxis can occur via individually chemotaxing cells that are physically coupled. Alternatively, it can emerge collectively, from cells chemotaxing differently in a group than they would individually. We find that while the speeds of these two mechanisms are roughly the same, the precision of emergent chemotaxis is higher than that of individual-based chemotaxis for one-dimensional cell chains and two-dimensional cell sheets, but not three-dimensional cell clusters. We describe the physical origins of these results, discuss their biological implications, and show how they can be tested using common experimental measures such as the chemotactic index.
Multicellular chemotaxis can occur via individually chemotaxing cells that are mechanically coupled. Alternatively, it can emerge collectively, from cells chemotaxing differently in a group than they would individually. Here we consider collective movement that emerges from cells on the exterior of the collective responding to chemotactic signals, whereas bulk cells remain uninvolved in sensing and directing the collective. We find that the precision of this type of emergent chemotaxis is higher than that of individual-based chemotaxis for one-dimensional cell chains and two-dimensional cell sheets, but not three-dimensional cell clusters. We describe the physical origins of these results, discuss their biological implications, and show how they can be tested using common experimental measures such as the chemotactic index.
R
physically
mechanically
R
We find that while the speeds of these two mechanisms are roughly the same,
Here we consider collective movement that emerges from cells on the exterior of
R
precision
collective responding to chemotactic signals, whereas bulk cells remain uninvolved in sensing and directing the collective. We find that the precision of this type