CELLULAR INVASION WITHOUT CELLULAR MOTILITY IN A STOCHASTIC GROWTH-MODEL

Invasion of a tissue by distinct cell types is common to various biolo gical processes including embryonic development and tumour growth. Act ive movement is usually considered to be a prerequisite for invasivene ss. Using a computer simulation program based on a stochastic cellular automata model, we provide evidence that invasive patterns may evolve in the absence of active cellular motility. Cells characterized by lo w proliferation, a high rate of cell loss, pronounced tumour-stroma ad hesion and an expansive instead of a destructive behaviour invade the surrounding matrix, despite a complete lack of active movement. The re sulting morphological patterns are similar to those obtained with moti le cells. Thus invasion does not necessarily indicate the presence of motility.