Collective cell migration describes the movements of group of cells and the emergence of collective behavior from cell-environment interactions and cell-cell communication. Collective cell migration is an essential process in the lives of multicellular organisms, e.g. embryonic development, wound healing and cancer spreading (metastasis).[1] Cells can migrate as a cohesive group (e.g. epithelial cells) or have transient cell-cell adhesion sites (e.g. mesenchymal cells).[2] They can also migrate in different modes like sheets, strands, tubes, and clusters.[3] While single-cell migration has been extensively studied, collective cell migration is a relatively new field with applications in preventing birth defects or dysfunction of embryos. It may improve cancer treatment by enabling doctors to prevent tumors from spreading and forming new tumors.
- ^ Friedl, P; Hegerfeldt, Y; Tusch, M (2004). "Collective cell migration in morphogenesis and cancer". The International Journal of Developmental Biology. 48 (5–6): 441–9. doi:10.1387/ijdb.041821pf. PMID 15349818.
- ^ Weijer, CJ (15 September 2009). "Collective cell migration in development". Journal of Cell Science. 122 (Pt 18): 3215–23. doi:10.1242/jcs.036517. PMID 19726631.
- ^ Friedl, P (February 2004). "Prespecification and plasticity: shifting mechanisms of cell migration". Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 16 (1): 14–23. doi:10.1016/j.ceb.2003.11.001. PMID 15037300.
