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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Utilization of Microscale Silicon Cantilevers to Assess Cellular Contractile Function In Vitro
Published on: October 3, 2014
Reflections on a quarter century of research on contractile systems
1Structural Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. pollard@salk.edu
Abstract:
By the early 1970s studies of muscle contraction reached a high level and the field gave birth to a new line of investigation into the molecular basis of cellular movements. The molecular diversity in these motile systems has proven to be greater than anticipated. Actin filament assembly without direct participation of myosin is used more widely for motility than expected. Atomic structures of key proteins and important technical advances, including single-molecule methods, have enabled detailed investigation of the mechanisms of muscle contraction and cellular motility. However, much work lies ahead to understand the mechanism of force production and to elucidate the signaling pathways that control cellular motility.
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