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Lifecycle of cytocapsulae and cytocapsular tubes

Schematic diagram of cytocapsula and cytocapsular tube lifecycle. Initially, single mammalian cells generate small, round, extracellular and membranous cytocapsulae enclosing the cell. Subsequently, cytocapsulae proceed multiple distinct developing procedures. (1) Cytocapsulae proceed ecellularization with complete separation of the acellular cytocapsulae and expulsed cells. In ecellularization with incomplete separation, the evicted cells have connections to the acellular cytocapsulae, which can reenter its acellular cytocapsulae via autoentry and reform closed cytocapsulae with cells in the lumens. (2) Cytocapsulae grow and form large (100-250µm in diameter/major axis), round or oval cytocapsulae.

The large cytocapsulae can slightly shrink and form shrunk cytocapsulae enclosing the intraluminal cells. On the other hand, other cells can enter single large cytocapsulae with cells, which leads to single cytocapsulae harboring multiple cells. Ecellularization of these large cytocapsulae generate large acellular cytocapsulae, which will shrink, deflate and form large deflated concaved discs (or in irregular morphologies). (3) Cells migrate in its cytocapsulae, deform cytocapsular membranes and generate elongated cytocapsular tubes. Alloentry permits multiple cells enter and migrate in cytocapsular tubes.

Cell migration (of single cell or multiple cells) in the homogeneous and membrane enclosed cytocapsular tubes is faster than that in the heterogeneous environments composed by heterogeneous ECM and other cells. Cytocapsular tubes interconnect and form branched, seamless and membranous tube networks, providing tubular web systems for directed 3D cell transportation with diverse directions. Ecellularization generates acellular cytocapsular tubes. All the acellular cytocapsulae and cytocapsular tubes process rapid self-decomposition.