Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.

Cell sorting and differential motion are key processes in the life cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) and many other organisms. Here we develop a mathematical model and investigate the processes with computer simulations. The slug stage of Dd is modeled with ellipsoidal cells of two types which...

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Main Authors: Erin Flowerday, Emily J Evans, Christopher Grant, John C Dallon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325141
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author Erin Flowerday
Emily J Evans
Christopher Grant
John C Dallon
author_facet Erin Flowerday
Emily J Evans
Christopher Grant
John C Dallon
author_sort Erin Flowerday
collection DOAJ
description Cell sorting and differential motion are key processes in the life cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) and many other organisms. Here we develop a mathematical model and investigate the processes with computer simulations. The slug stage of Dd is modeled with ellipsoidal cells of two types which have viscoelastic properties. Using the force-based model we find that when the two cell types have different strengths of motive forces and or different degrees of directionality one cell type sorts to the front of the slug. These findings are consistent with previously published results using a different model formation. When one cell type is more directed than the other it will consistently sort to the front of the slug. Likewise, but less efficiently, when one cell type exerts greater motive forces than the other it will sort to the front of the slug. The most efficient and robust cell sorting due to differential motion is when both methods are employed.
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publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-174f813ee07f4c9486fe2e55daf8cd4e2025-08-20T02:22:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032514110.1371/journal.pone.0325141Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.Erin FlowerdayEmily J EvansChristopher GrantJohn C DallonCell sorting and differential motion are key processes in the life cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) and many other organisms. Here we develop a mathematical model and investigate the processes with computer simulations. The slug stage of Dd is modeled with ellipsoidal cells of two types which have viscoelastic properties. Using the force-based model we find that when the two cell types have different strengths of motive forces and or different degrees of directionality one cell type sorts to the front of the slug. These findings are consistent with previously published results using a different model formation. When one cell type is more directed than the other it will consistently sort to the front of the slug. Likewise, but less efficiently, when one cell type exerts greater motive forces than the other it will sort to the front of the slug. The most efficient and robust cell sorting due to differential motion is when both methods are employed.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325141
spellingShingle Erin Flowerday
Emily J Evans
Christopher Grant
John C Dallon
Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
PLoS ONE
title Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
title_full Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
title_fullStr Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
title_full_unstemmed Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
title_short Viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug.
title_sort viscoelastic cell model of sorting in the dictyostelium discoideum slug
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325141
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