Predicting the Efficacy of Stalk Cells Following Leading Cells Through a Micro-Channel Using Morphoelasticity and a Cell Shape Evolution Model

Cancer cell migration between different body parts is the driving force behind cancer metastasis, which causes mortality of patients. Migration of cancer cells often proceeds by penetration through narrow cavities in possibly stiff tissues. In our previous work [12], a model for the evolution of cell geometry is developed, and in the current study we use this model to investigate whether followers among (cancer) cells benefit from leading (cancer) cells during transmigration through micro-channels and cavities. Using Wilcoxon’s signed-rank text on the data collected from Monte Carlo simulations, we conclude that the transmigration time for the stalk cell is significantly smaller than for the leading cell with a p-value less than 0.0001, for the modelling set-up that we have used in this study.