Fractional re-distribution among cell motility states during ageing

Jude M. Phillip, Nahuel Zamponi, Madonna P. Phillip, Jena Daya, Shaun McGovern, Wadsworth Williams, Katherine Tschudi, Hasini Jayatilaka, Pei Hsun Wu, Jeremy Walston, Denis Wirtz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Ageing in humans is associated with the decreased capacity to regulate cell physiology. Cellular properties, such as cell morphology and mechanics, encode ageing information, and can therefore be used as robust biomarkers of ageing. Using a panel of dermal fibroblasts derived from healthy donors spanning a wide age range, we observe an age-associated decrease in cell motility. By taking advantage of the single-cell nature of our motility data, we classified cells based on spatial and activity patterns to define age-dependent motility states. We show that the age-dependent decrease in cell motility is not due to the reduced motility of all cells, but results from the fractional re-distribution among motility states. These findings highlight an important feature of ageing cells characterized by a reduction of cellular heterogeneity in older adults relative to post-adolescent/adults. Furthermore, these results point to a mechanistic framework of ageing, with potential applications in deciphering emergent ageing phenotypes and biomarker development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number81
JournalCommunications biology
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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