Flexibility in noisy cell-to-cell information dynamics

Abstract

Exchange of molecules allows cells to exchange information. How robust is the information to changes in cell parameters? We use a mapping between the stochastic dynamics of two cells sharing a stimulatory molecule, and parameters akin to an extension of Landau's equilibrium phase transition theory. We show that different single-cell dynamics lead to the same dynamical response -- a flexibility that cells can use. The companion equilibrium Landau model behaves similarly, thereby describing the dynamics of information in a broad class of models with coupled order parameters.