Modeling the collective behaviour of Dictyostelium discoideum under directed migration

Cellular migration is a function that is ubiquitous across a vast number of organisms. This phenomenon is observed in many biological functions such as embryogenesis, tissue regeneration, tumor metastasis, muscle contraction, and more. Cellular migration is influenced by various factors; principally, by chemical, mechanical, and electrical cues. We utilize the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum to study the effects of nanotopographical guidance and electrostatic fields on the motion of cells. We develop a cell-scale stochastic model of the influence of nanotopography, electrostatic fields, and chemical signaling by the secondary messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate on the motion of D. discoideum cells. Model simulations show that unidirectional guidance by nano-ridges allows for D. dictyostelium streaming and aggregation, while bidirectional nanotopography creates a cell bifurcation in which there is little to no streaming or aggregation. In addition, simulations indicate that D. discoideum cells exhibit directed collective motion when under the influence of a unidirectional electric field.