Receptor Organization Determines the Limits of Single-Cell Source Location Detection

Phys Rev Lett. 2020 Jul 3;125(1):018102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.018102.

Abstract

Many types of cells require the ability to pinpoint the location of an external stimulus from the arrival of diffusing signaling molecules at cell-surface receptors. How does the organization (number and spatial configuration) of these receptors shape the limit of a cell's ability to infer the source location? In the idealized scenario of a spherical cell, we apply asymptotic analysis to compute splitting probabilities between individual receptors and formulate an information-theoretic framework to quantify the role of receptor organization. Clustered configurations of receptors provide an advantage in detecting sources aligned with the clusters, suggesting a possible multiscale mechanism for single-cell source inference.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Communication / physiology*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Models, Biological*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods

Substances

  • Receptors, Cell Surface