Phenomenology of Vero and HeLa cells locomotion in colonies of different geometries

N. E. MUZZIO; M. C. HUERGO; M. A. PASQUALE; A. E. BOLZÁN; P.H. GONZÁLEZ; A.J. ARVIA

San Juan

Congreso; Segunda Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biología de La República Argentina; 2011

The study of cell motility paid considerable attention in recent years because it is involved in complex cellular processes implicated in a great number of living systems. The locomotion of Vero and HeLa cells on polystyrene petri dishes were characterized by statistical techniques employing a time-lapse system to capture digital images of either initial quasi-radial and quasi-linear colonies. They were cultured in a chamber at 37C, maintaining the pH with carbon dioxide independent medium. The trajectories, orthogonal and parallel velocity, the mean square displacement (msd) were determined at each time for a large number of cells in colonies with different cell populations (n). The module of the average cell velocity in the border region increased with n for quasi circular colonies, approaching that of the quasi-linear ones and large n, and was higher for Vero than HeLa cells. For both cells, the analysis of msd data rendered power law dependence with an exponent greater than one. Data suggested cooperative effects and displacement in heterogeneous medium. This movement appears to be mainly related to those interactions that affect the generation of protrusion forces in the colony, a complex process in which chemical signaling results in the production of mechanical energy. These data is relevant for modeling biological systems.