A continuum model for collective cell migration in tissues and biomaterials in response to chemo-mechanical stimuli

We present a general theoretical framework for modeling collective cell migration in tissues or biomaterials. This framework is designed to model cell migration due to chemo-mechanical stimuli or in response to other cell populations (cell recruitment). Migration in response to chemoattractants is modeled using diffusion equations and restrictions imposed by the second law of thermodynamics while we use Cosserat elasticity to include the effects of cell polarization. Linearization of this general framework recovers prior theories of durotaxis and tensotaxis as well as Fick’s and Darcy’s laws of diffusion. This framework is further generalized to capture cell migration in response to multiple cell populations and associated chemoattractants. This general formulation can be used to model the migration of diverse cell types including macrophages in tissues and biomaterials.