Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41528848›Full record

ArticleCell reports2026

Biophysical modeling identifies an optimal hybrid amoeboid-mesenchymal mechanism for maximal T cell migration speeds.

Roberto Alonso-Matilla, Diego I Pedro, Alfonso Pepe, Jose Serrano-Velez, Michael Dunne, Duy T Nguyen, W Gregory Sawyer, Paolo P Provenzano, David J Odde

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Roberto Alonso-MatillaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Electronic address: alons075@umn.edu.
Diego I PedroDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
Alfonso PepeDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
Jose Serrano-VelezDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
Michael DunneDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Duy T NguyenDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
W Gregory SawyerDepartment of Bioengineering, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
Paolo P ProvenzanoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
David J OddeDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Funding

Project 2: Cell Migration in Mechanically Complex MicroenvironmentsU54CA210190 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI ODDE, DAVID J. · 2016 to 2020
$10.0M
Project 3P01CA254849 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI ODDE, DAVID J. · 2021 to 2025
$9.4M
TECH CoreU54CA268069 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI David J. Odde · 2022 to 2026
$8.2M
NCI NIH HHS P01 CA254849NCI NIH HHS U54 CA210190NCI NIH HHS U54 CA268069
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Despite recent advances in cell migration mechanics, the principles governing rapid T cell movement remain unclear. Efficient migration is critical for antitumoral T cells to locate and eliminate cancer cells. To investigate the upper limits of cell speed, we develop a hybrid stochastic-mean field model of bleb-based cell motility. Our model suggests that cell-matrix adhesion-free bleb migration is highly inefficient, challenging the feasibility of adhesion-independent migration as a primary fast mode. Instead, we show that T cells can achieve rapid migration by combining bleb formation with adhesion-based forces. Supporting our predictions, three-dimensional gel experiments confirm that T cells migrate significantly faster under adherent conditions than in adhesion-free environments. These findings highlight the mechanical constraints of T cell motility and suggest that controlled modulation of tissue adhesion could enhance immune cell infiltration into tumors. Our work provides insights into optimizing T cell-based immunotherapies and underscores that indiscriminate antifibrotic treatments may hinder infiltration.

Indexed as

Cell MovementMesodermModels, BiologicalT-LymphocytesAnimalsCell AdhesionHumansactomyosin contractilityamoeboidbiophysical modelblebcell migrationCP: cell biology

Identifiers

PMID41528848
PMCPMC12994749

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.