Spontaneous Synchronisation and the Cell Cycle

Abstract

We suggest that it may be possible for the cell cycles of neighboring biological cells to become spontaneously synchronized, e.g., in the presence of defects or disease. We are not proposing that spontaneous synchronization of cycles between neighboring cells is necessarily common or permanent. Rather, we suggest that temporary islands or “domains” of cells with synchronized cell cycles can form and exhibit collective behavior for some time, before disappearing. We suggest that a cell with faulty DNA whose cycle is synchronized with those of surrounding healthy cells may be dragged past the G1/S and G2/M checkpoints even if, in isolation, it would be stalled to allow repair or marking for apoptosis.

Synchronisation may occur if cell cycle oscillations are coupled with receipt and transmission of messages at cell membranes. Storms of inter-cell messages could cause collaborative cell cycling and synchronised cell growth, which may in turn make it easier for clusters of cells to cycle together than it is for lone cells to cycle in isolation.