Self-organization of invasive breast cancer driven by the interplay of active and passive nematic dynamics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In invasive breast cancer, cell clusters of varying sizes and shapes are embedded in the fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM). Although the prevailing view attributes this structure to increasing disorder resulting from loss of function and dedifferentiation, our findings reveal that it arises through a process of active self-organization driven by cancer cell motility. Simulations and histological analyses of tumours from over 2,000 breast cancer patients reveal that motile, aligned cancer cells within clusters move as active nematic aggregates through the surrounding highly aligned ECM fibres, which form a confining, passive nematic phase. Cellular motion leads to cluster splitting and coalescence. The degree of cluster activity, combined with heterogeneity in cell motility, is reflected in specific scaling behaviours for cluster shape, size distribution, and the distance between cluster boundaries and nematic defects in ECM alignment. Increased activity estimates correlate with tumour progression and are associated with a poorer prognosis for patients.
Source: Physical Review X
DOI: 10.1103/z8gf-q6rh
Authors: Pablo Gottheil, Saraswat Bhattacharyya, Philip Friedrich, Kilian Roth, Mario Merkel, Kolya Lettl, Kudor Harb, Salvador Rivera-Moreno, Assal Daneshgar, Jonas Wieland, Bahriye Aktas, Jens-Uwe Blohmer, Hans Kubitschke, Anne-Sophie Wegscheider, Christine Sers, Igor M. Sauer, Armin Jarosch, Axel Niendorf, Julia M. Yeomans, Josef A. Käs
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,200
Award: G4009063175
OpenAlex ID: W7222086446