A theoretical model to comprehend cell communication and movement has been formulated by researchers. This novel discovery may profoundly influence wound healing, with preliminary computer simulations indicating potential advancements in expediting the healing process.
Understanding Cell Physics: Scientists at ISTA have adeptly created a model to understand cell behavior.
Cells, like humans, have a means of communication. However, they do so uniquely by using waves as a shared language, directing each other on when and where to move. They converse, exchange information, and collaborate in a manner that mirrors the collaborative work between researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), who conducted studies on cell communication and its potential applications, such as in wound healing.
While one might not initially connect biology with theoretical computer models, such associations are essential in the biological sciences. Even the most intricate biological occurrences can be explained through precise mathematical calculations. ISTA’s Professor Edouard Hannezo uses these methods to grasp the physical laws within biological systems. His team’s recent efforts offer fresh perspectives on how cells communicate and move within living organisms.
A vibrant fusion of colors illustrates the triggering of a chemical signal path (ERK pathway; upper-right) combined with a 2D cell area simulation (lower-left) within a single layer of cells. Credit: © Hannezo group/ISTA
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Theoretical Model for Cell Movement and Communication
Daniel Boocock, along with Hannezo and long-standing associate Tsuyoshi Hirashima from the National University of Singapore, has introduced a comprehensive new theoretical model published in PRX Life on July 20. This model boosts our grasp of distant communication between cells, describing the complex mechanical pressures and biochemical actions they exert.
Biology’s physics side: ISTA’s Professor Edouard Hannezo (left) and recent ISTA graduate Daniel Boocock (right) employ theoretical physics to decipher biological complexity. Credit: (c) ISTA
Communication Among Cells in Waves
As Hannezo explains, even though cells in a monolayer within a Petri dish may seem stationary, they are actually in motion, swirling and forming spontaneous chaotic behaviors. Like a crowded concert, cells sense each other’s actions and react accordingly, causing information to be conveyed in visible waves.
Hannezo continues to describe how cells perceive not only mechanical forces but also their chemical surroundings, and how their communication consists of an amalgamation of biochemical activity, physical behavior, and motion. This mechanochemical interaction in living tissues has only now become understood.
Inspired by visible wave patterns, the researchers sought to confirm their earlier theories on cell movement by creating a theoretical model that considered various factors, including the tissue’s material properties and cell mobility. Boocock and Hannezo could model how cells mechanically and chemically communicate and move, reproducing observed phenomena in Petri dishes and confirming a theoretical explanation for cell communication based on physical principles.
Testing the Hypothesis
For tangible evidence, Boocock and Hannezo worked with biophysicist Tsuyoshi Hirashima to rigorously ascertain if their new model was applicable to actual biological structures, using 2D monolayers of specific mammalian kidney cells. Hannezo explains how inhibiting certain chemical pathways would stop cell movement and communication, emphasizing how their theory could manipulate different system components to observe tissue dynamics.
Future Prospects
Cells in tissue exhibit behavior akin to liquid crystals, flowing like liquid but maintaining a crystalline structure. Boocock mentions that the liquid-crystal behavior of biological tissue hasn’t been examined in relation to mechanochemical waves, but extending the study to 3D tissues or more complex shapes might be a future exploration area.
Additionally, the researchers have started to tailor the model for wound healing applications, with computer simulations showing accelerated healing under certain parameters. Hannezo eagerly remarks on the potential effectiveness of their model for healing wounds within living organisms.
Reference: “Interplay between Mechanochemical Patterning and Glassy Dynamics in Cellular Monolayers” by Daniel Boocock, Tsuyoshi Hirashima, and Edouard Hannezo, 20 July 2023, PRX Life.
DOI: 10.1103/PRXLife.1.013001
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: cell communication
What is the theoretical model developed by researchers about?
The theoretical model is about understanding cell communication and movement, particularly how cells use waves to communicate. It delineates the mechanical forces and biochemical activities exerted by cells, and has potential applications in wound healing.
How do cells communicate according to this study?
Cells communicate using waves as a common language. They sense each other’s mechanical and chemical actions and react, with information propagating and traveling in waves. This communication involves an interplay of biochemical activity, physical behavior, and motion.
Who were the primary researchers involved in this study?
The primary researchers were from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), including Professor Edouard Hannezo, Daniel Boocock, and Tsuyoshi Hirashima.
What applications does the research have in the field of medicine?
The research has significant implications for wound healing. The theoretical model and computer simulations have shown promise in improving the flow of information between cells, which could accelerate the healing process.
How was the theoretical model tested?
The theoretical model was tested by collaborating with biophysicist Tsuyoshi Hirashima. Using 2D monolayers of specific mammalian kidney cells (MDCK cells), the researchers were able to experimentally verify the model’s applicability to real biological systems.
What are the future prospects of this research?
Future prospects include an extension of the study to 3D tissues or monolayers with complex shapes, as seen in living organisms. The researchers have also begun refining the model for wound healing applications, where it has shown potential to accelerate healing in computer simulations.
More about fokus keyword: cell communication
- Interplay between Mechanochemical Patterning and Glassy Dynamics in Cellular Monolayers
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)
- National University of Singapore (NUS)
6 comments
the future of medicine is right here!! think about it, if we can accelrate healing in wounds, what else can we do? This is jus the beginning!
i read about cell communication before but this is next level, using waves?? amazing work by those researchers. How can i learn more?
Very technical but interesting. Wish there were more simplified explanations for non-scientists like me. But I do see the potential in the medical field.
So cells are like, talking in waves? Thats cool. reminds me of how dolphins communicate, but this is more complex obviously. I’m intrigued to see where this research leads.
This research sounds promising but i’m a bit confused about some of the technical details… Can someone explain the ERK pathway,
Wow, this is really cool stuff! I never knew cells talked to each other like this. wound healing applications are fascinating.