Clustering dynamics of collectively migrating malignant lymphocytes

Multi-cellular aggregates such as cell clusters and tissues exhibit collective migration with complex emergent behaviors that are very different from the behavior of the constituent single cells. We focus on the migration of clusters of malignant lymphocytes, responsible for the metastases of lymphomas. Previous work has shown that, in chemokine gradients, these clusters show a number of novel collective phases including rotations that enhance their chemotactic efficiency. Here we study the attachment and detachment dynamics that ultimately guides the formation of the clusters, which is similar to the gas-liquid transition of passive (thermal equilibrium) systems. We aim to quantify cell cluster shape dynamics and chemotactic efficiency as a function of cellular parameters such as, cell-cell adhesion and alignment, contact inhibition and chemotactic response. In particular, we show that cell-cell adhesion and alignment are important regulators of cell cluster size and shape, which in turn affects their chemotactic efficiency. Our systematic approach will allow us to identify regions of parameter space that may shed light on candidate strategies for suppressing metastatic potential.