| The
different phases of the force-velocity relation of motile cells
Juliane Zimmermann1, Claudia
Brunner2, Mihaela Enculescu3, Michael Goegler2,
Allen Ehrlicher2, Josef Käs2, Martin Falcke1
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Mathematical Cell Physiology, Max-Delbrück-Center
for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13092 Berlin,
Germany |
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2
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Soft Matter Physics Division, Institute
of Experimental Physics I, University of Leipzig, Linnéstraße
5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany |
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3
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Institute for Theoretical Physics,
Technische Universität, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany |
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| Contact:
| Website |
Cells must overcome resistance when moving through tissue during metastasis
or wound healing. The forces they can withstand are determined by their
force-velocity relation, which has been measured for keratocytes but remains
unexplained. We present a mechanism explaining that relation and its changes
upon application of drugs that hinder actin polymerization or actomyosin
based contractility. Already small opposing forces slow down lamellipodium
motion by three orders of magnitude due to the delicate force balance at
its leading edge. Increasing external forces accelerates actin gel retrograde
flow until it compensates for polymerization and cell motion stalls. Subsequently,
the force-velocity relation spirals transiently around the stall force
due to adaptation to the stalled state. The force-velocity relation reflects
the force sensitivity of the lamellipodium leading edge and retrograde
flow. |
