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Department of Mathematics,
University of California San Diego

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Seminar on Mathematics for Complex Biological Systems

Dr. Brian Camley

Physics, UCSD

Collective Gradient Sensing: Fundamental Bounds, Cluster Mechanics, and Cell-to-Cell Variability

Abstract:

Many eukaryotic cells chemotax, sensing and following chemical gradients. However, experiments find that even under conditions when single cells do not chemotax, small clusters may still follow a gradient. How can cell clusters sense a gradient that individual cells ignore? I will discuss possible ``collective guidance'' mechanisms underlying this motion, where individual cells measure the mean value of the attractant, but need not measure its gradient to give rise to directional motility for a cell cluster. I show that the collective guidance hypothesis can be directly tested by looking for strong orientational effects in pairs of cells chemotaxing. Collective gradient sensing also has a new wrinkle in comparison to single-cell chemotaxis: to accurately determine a gradient direction, a cluster must integrate information from cells with highly variable properties. When is cell-to-cell variation a limiting factor in sensing accuracy? I provide some initial answers, and discuss how cell clusters can sense gradients in a way that is robust to this variation. Interestingly, these strategies may depend on the cluster's mechanics: there is a fundamental bound that links the cluster's chemotactic accuracy and its rheology. This suggests that in some circumstances, mechanical changes like fluidization can influence a cluster's sensing ability. Because of this effect, increasing the noise in a single cell's motion can actually increase the accuracy of cluster chemotaxis!

Organizers: Li-Tien Cheng, Bo Li, and Ruth Williams

November 2, 2017

2:00 PM

AP&M 6402

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