Hemocytes in Drosophila melanogaster embryos move via heterogeneous anomalous diffusion

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster hemocytes are highly motile cells that crucial for successful embryogenesis and have important roles in the organism’s immunological response. Here we measure motion of using selective plane illumination microscopy. Every hemocyte cell one half an embryo is tracked during analysed a deep learning neural network. We show anomalous transport well described by fractional Brownian heterogeneous both time space. LanB1 SCAR mutants disrupt collective cellular reduce its persistence due to modification laminin actin-based motility respectively. The oscillated with alternating periods varying persistent motion. Touching appear experience synchronised contact inhibition locomotion. A quantitative statistical framework presented which provides biological insights.