Cell-Cell Communication Through Deformation of Extracellular Matrix

Understanding cell-cell communication in cancer is important because cancer cells communicate to facilitate collective migration, such as during cancer progression and metastasis. We investigated how cancer cells communicate to facilitate their collective motion. We considered two major modes of cell-cell communication: chemical and mechanical. The results showed that chemical communication through specific signal molecules investigated in this study is not the only communication mechanism. Additionally, an aggregate of cells deforms their surrounding ECM, enabling mechanical communication.