Spatial Ecology of Cells Living in Micro-Structured Environments

About this Research Topic

Background

Adjacency relationships between cell assemblages and the interactions within the context of their hosting local micro-environments is the essence of spatial ecology. This ecological perspective, and recent work of this kind has highlighted the importance spatial structure has in forming functional eukaryotic tissues and bacterial microbiomes. New techniques allow us to pattern surfaces as well as to fabricate microfluidics environments at spatial scales which are commensurable to the scale of a cell’s own environmental perception. Structural coupling between a cell and its immediate environment occurs at this particular scale. Accordingly, a cell’s local behavior is crucial in determining cells' individual, population, and community dynamics.

With this Research Topic we aim to bring together a suite of studies focused on different spatially distributed cell assemblages living in micro-structured environments, ranging from microbial to eukaryotic cells with the common narrative being their spatial ecological context; in particular, studies where cell assemblages self-organize into higher order (multi-cell) structures which are determined by the topology of their habitat (supporting microscopic environment) or/and by the existence of chemical gradients along a given spatial dimension.

Furthermore, we aim to include theoretical work with the potential to place experiments on different cell systems into a common spatial biology framework. This broader perspective, emphasizing the ecology of cellular assemblages, will help integrate formerly detached scientific avenues and constitutes a fundamental role in the spatial biology of tissues and the nascent field of microbiome research.

The following article types are particularly welcomed: Original Research, Reviews, and Opinions.

Keywords: cell assemblages, spatial biology, spatial ecology, microfluidics, microfabrication

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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