Partial actions of groups on cell complexes

In this paper, we study partial group actions on 2-complexes. Our results include a characterization, in terms of generating sets, of when a partial group action on a connected 2-complex has a connected globalization. Using this result, we give a short combinatorial proof that a group acting without fixed points on a connected 2-complex, with finite quotient, is finitely generated. This result is then generalized to characterize finitely generated groups as precisely those groups having a partial action, without fixed points, on a finite tree, with a connected globalization. Finally, using Bass-Serre theory, we determine when a partial group action on a graph has a globalization which is a tree.