Mechanisms of cell propulsion by active stresses

The mechanisms by which cytoskeletal flows and cell-substrate interactions interact to generate cell motion are explored by using a simplified model of the cytoskeleton as a viscous gel containing active stresses. This model yields explicit general results relating cell speed and traction forces to the distributions of active stress and cell-substrate friction. It is found that (i) the cell velocity is given by a function that quantifies the asymmetry of the active-stress distribution, (ii) gradients in cell-substrate friction can induce motion even when the active stresses are symmetrically distributed, (iii) the traction-force dipole is enhanced by protrusive stresses near the cell edges or contractile stresses near the center of the cell and (iv) the cell velocity depends biphasically on the cell-substrate adhesion strength if active stress is enhanced by adhesion. Specific experimental tests of the calculated dependences are proposed.