Cell Migration Paths of Epithelial Cells Resemble Levy Modulated Correlated Random Walk Pattern

Cellular tracks of MCF-10A pbabe, neuN and neuT random migration on 2-D plastic substrates, analyzed using Bimodal analysis, were found to reveal a Levy modulated correlated random work pattern. We find two types of Levy flights (corresponding to the directional and re-orientation phases) having a specific form of turn angle distribution representing correlation between move step lengths within flights. The Levy exponent, μ, for both the power-law distributed flights was found to be close to 2. This is reminiscent of foraging strategies adopted by various organisms from sea creatures, bumble-bees to micro-zooplankton in randomly distributed nutrient conditions where Levy walk has been found to be an optimum strategy to enhance encounter with food. The presence of non-uniform turn angle distribution of move-step lengths within a flight and the power-law distributed flights indicate that the epithelial cells might be exhibiting a Levy modulated correlated random walk (LMCRW). Moreover, the early super diffusive nature of mean squared displacement of the cells confirm the Levy modulation.