Mathematical models of actin in cell motility and of swarms/schools in social aggregation

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The cytoskeleton, and its major biopolymer, actin are responsible for the shape, motility, and many aspects of animal cell function. In recent years, my group has modelled how actin turnover contributes to protrusive cell motility, and how signalling components (Rho family GTPases Cdc42, Rac, Rho, and phosphoinositides PIP, PIP2, PIP3), regulate actin dynamics. In response to a graded stimulus, our "model cell" produces stable internal profiles of GTPases and PIs, and initiates persistent motility, consistent with the biology. (We showed that GTPases work as a spatial switch, PIs filter noise, and define the front vs. back. Relatively fast PI diffusion also leads to selection of a unique pattern of Rho GTPase distribution from a collection of possible patterns). We also assembled preliminary 2D simulations of a crawling cell.