Roles of leader and follower cells in collective cell migration |
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| Authors: | Lei Qin Dazhi Yang Weihong Yi Huiling Cao Guozhi Xiao |
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| Institution: | University of Wisconsin, Madison;aDepartment of Orthopedics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China;bDepartment of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Shenzhen 518055, China |
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| Abstract: | Collective cell migration is a widely observed phenomenon during animal development, tissue repair, and cancer metastasis. Considering its broad involvement in biological processes, it is essential to understand the basics behind the collective movement. Based on the topology of migrating populations, tissue-scale kinetics, called the “leader–follower” model, has been proposed for persistent directional collective movement. Extensive in vivo and in vitro studies reveal the characteristics of leader cells, as well as the special mechanisms leader cells employ for maintaining their positions in collective migration. However, follower cells have attracted increasing attention recently due to their important contributions to collective movement. In this Perspective, the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the “leader–follower” model is reviewed with a special focus on the force transmission and diverse roles of leaders and followers during collective cell movement. |
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