Fold-change detection and scale invariance of cell-cell signaling in social amoeba
Abstract
Cell-cell signaling is subject to variability in the extracellular volume, cell number, and dilution that potentially increase uncertainty in the absolute concentrations of the extracellular signaling molecules. To direct cell aggregation, the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum collectively give rise to oscillations and waves of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) under a wide range of cell density. To date, the systems-level mechanism underlying the robustness is unclear. By using quantitative live-cell imaging, here we show that the magnitude of the cAMP relay response of individual cells is determined by fold change in the extracellular cAMP concentrations. The range of cell density and exogenous cAMP concentrations that support oscillations at the population level agrees well with conditions that support a large fold-change-dependent response at the single-cell level. Mathematical analysis suggests that invariance of the oscillations to density transformation is a natural outcome of combining secrete-and-sense systems with a fold-change detection mechanism.
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
AKT Pathway
This feed focuses on the AKT serine/threonine kinase, which is an important signaling pathway involved in processes such as glucose metabolism and cell survival.
Cell Migration
Cell migration is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as embryonic development, cancer metastasis, blood vessel formation and remoulding, tissue regeneration, immune surveillance and inflammation. Here is the latest research.
Advanced Imaging of Cellular Signaling
Cell signaling is a vital mechanism for communication within cells and outside with the environment. Several different signaling pathways have been found and advanced imaging techniques are being developed to visualize the molecules involved in these signaling pathways. Find the latest research in advanced imaging of cellular signaling here.