Title: Active matter, active solids, and cell migration: Epithelium-Mesenchymal transitions embrace them all!

Abstract: Cells can exhibit different phenotypes, indicating the presence of different gene expression programs. Epithelial cells are capable of forming tissues, display cell-to-cell adhesion through cadherins and with the extracellular matrix, are polarized on the apical-basal axis, and respond to lateral inhibition, which prevents them from proliferating within the tissue. In the mesenchymal phenotype, cells can migrate with front-rear polarization, do not express cadherins, and can undergo mitosis. During embryonic development, the healing of skin injuries, or tumor metastasis, epithelial cells can undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Currently, it is not clear how this transformation occurs, whether it is complete or partial, how to characterize these cellular states, and what role this transformation plays in different processes. Our group approaches this phenomenon in four lines, as follows:

1. Theoretical Model for Metabolic Networks: We use the information space model to simulate EMT, focusing on intermediate states.

2. Transcriptome Analysis: We analyze single-cell RNA sequencing data from publicly available databases. These results help validate the theoretical findings from item 1, particularly regarding the number of intermediate states.

3. CompuCell3D Simulations of Mesenchymal Behavior: We quantitatively compare the kinetics of cell movement with experimental data.

4. CompuCell3D Simulations of Epithelial Behavior: This simulation approximates an active solid.

In this webinar, we present partial results and the progress of this project, which aims to have applications in digital twin tools in the field of Medicine

Zoom meeting number: 871 1205 0573

Zoom password: polsan

More details and registration at https://www.ictp-saifr.org/mfbp2025/