Response of Collective Cell Migration to Surface Topography Reveals Distinct Phenotypes

Migrating cells must respond to a variety of cues from their environment, including many physical forces. A wide range of previous work has focused on the roles of several of these forces in cell behavior, such as how forces between neighboring cells affect collective migration or how the physical properties of the migration substrate affect single cells. In this work, we investigate how multiple forces simultaneously influence migration behavior by imaging collective migration on nano-topographic surfaces. We find that cell lines with varied tumorigenicity balance these physical cues differently, resulting in distinct collective migration behaviors on nano-ridged surfaces.