Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Biomaterials. 2024 Dec;311:122682. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122682. Epub 2024 Jun 24.
Cell migration during many fundamental biological processes including metastasis requires cells to traverse tissue with heterogeneous mechanical cues that direct migration as well as determine force and energy requirements for motility. However, the influence of discrete structural and mechanical cues on migration remains challenging to determine as they are often coupled. Here, we decouple the pro-invasive cues of collagen fiber alignment and tension to study their individual impact on migration. When presented with both cues, cells preferentially travel in the axis of tension against fiber alignment. Computational and experimental data show applying tension perpendicular to alignment increases potential energy stored within collagen fibers, lowering requirements for cell-induced matrix deformation and energy usage during migration compared to motility in the direction of fiber alignment. Energy minimization directs migration trajectory, and tension can facilitate migration against fiber alignment. These findings provide a conceptual understanding of bioenergetics during migration through a fibrous matrix.
细胞在许多基本的生物学过程中的迁移，包括转移，需要细胞穿过具有异质力学线索的组织，这些线索可以指导迁移，并决定运动的力和能量需求。然而，离散的结构和力学线索对迁移的影响仍然难以确定，因为它们通常是耦合的。在这里，我们分离出胶原纤维排列和张力的促侵入线索，以研究它们对迁移的单独影响。当呈现这两种线索时，细胞优先沿张力轴迁移，与纤维排列相反。计算和实验数据表明，垂直于排列方向施加张力会增加胶原纤维内储存的势能，从而降低细胞诱导基质变形的要求，并降低迁移过程中的能量使用，与纤维排列方向上的运动相比。能量最小化指导迁移轨迹，并且张力可以促进迁移抵抗纤维排列。这些发现通过纤维基质中的迁移提供了对生物能量学的概念理解。
