Kinesins are molecular motors that carry cellular cargoes. While the mechanics of single kinesins are well characterized experimentally, the behavior of multiple kinesins varies considerably among experiments. The basis for this variability is unknown. Here, we resolve single-motor force measurements into a vertical component, which accelerates kinesin detachment, and a horizontal component, which decelerates the detachment when resisting the motor. This directionality, when the different experimental geometries are considered, can account for much of the variation in multiple motor dynamics.

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Collective cell migration underlies morphogenesis, tissue regeneration, and cancer progression. How the biomechanical coupling between epithelial cells triggers and coordinates the collective migration is an open question. Here we develop a one-dimensional model for an epithelial monolayer which predicts that after the onset of migration at an open boundary, cells in the bulk of the epithelium are gradually recruited into outward-directed motility, exhibiting travelling wave-like behaviour. We find an exact formula for the speed of this motility wave proportional to the square root of the cells' contractility, which accounts for cortex tension and adhesion between adjacent cells.

No abstract

the collective motion of cell monolayers within a tissue is a fundamental biological process that occurs during tissue formation, wound healing, cancerous invasion, and viral infection. experiments have shown that at the onset of migration, the motility is self-generated as a polarisation wave starting from the leading edge of the monolayer and progressively propagates into the bulk. However, it is unclear how the propagation of this motility wave is influenced by cellular properties. Here, we investigate this question using a computational model based on the potts model coupled to the dynamics of intracellular polarisation. the model captures the propagation of the polarisation wave and suggests that the cells cortex can regulate the migration modes: strongly contractile cells may depolarise the monolayer, whereas less contractile cells can form swirling movement. cortical contractility is further found to limit the cells motility, which (i) decelerates the wave speed and the leading edge progression, and (ii) destabilises the leading edge. Together, our model describes how different mechanical properties of cells can contribute to the regulation of collective cell migration.