Mathematical models of cell invasion track spatial position and progression through the cell cycle

Spatial spreading of cell populations is crucial for embryonic development, tissue repair, and malignant invasion. During embryonic development, various types of tissues and organs with different functions evolve from an initially homogeneous population of cells in the very early embryo. Normal development requires that these structures arise with the correct cell types in the appropriate three-dimensional geometry, a process that necessitates simultaneous migration and growth of cell populations. Abnormal cell migration during adulthood is associated with pathological conditions like cancer invasion and metastasis. While motility of individual cells is crucial for population-level spreading, cell proliferation plays an important and sometimes overlooked role in driving spatial expansion of cell populations .