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Related Concept Videos

Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration01:18

Role of Myosin in Cell Migration

Myosins are multimeric motor proteins involved in various cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Myosin II is the most common type in animal cells, which binds and cross-links actin filaments.
Myosin II  is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction. It is...
Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration01:21

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon towards...
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Analyzing In Vivo Cell Migration using Cell Transplantations and Time-lapse Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos
11:39

Analyzing In Vivo Cell Migration using Cell Transplantations and Time-lapse Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos

Published on: April 29, 2016

WAVE2 is required for directed cell migration and cardiovascular development.

Daisuke Yamazaki1, Shiro Suetsugu, Hiroaki Miki

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Mianato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.

Nature
|July 25, 2003
PubMed
Summary

The WAVE2 protein is vital for cell movement and blood vessel formation during embryonic development. Its absence in mice led to developmental defects and impaired angiogenesis, highlighting WAVE2

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Analyzing In Vivo Cell Migration using Cell Transplantations and Time-lapse Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos
11:39

Analyzing In Vivo Cell Migration using Cell Transplantations and Time-lapse Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos

Published on: April 29, 2016

Characterizing Cell Migration Within Three-dimensional In Vitro Wound Environments
06:10

Characterizing Cell Migration Within Three-dimensional In Vitro Wound Environments

Published on: August 16, 2017

Deep and Spatially Controlled Volume Ablations using a Two-Photon Microscope in the Zebrafish Gastrula
09:50

Deep and Spatially Controlled Volume Ablations using a Two-Photon Microscope in the Zebrafish Gastrula

Published on: July 15, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cell motility, essential for morphogenesis, is regulated by proteins like WAVE2, which is related to Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein.
  • WAVE2 is crucial for Rac-induced membrane ruffling, a key component of cell movement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the physiological functions of WAVE2 during embryogenesis.
  • To determine the role of WAVE2 in cell movement and angiogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Gene disruption of WAVE2 in mice (WAVE2-/-).
  • Analysis of embryonic development, vascularization, and endothelial cell behavior.
  • Assessment of cell polarity and lamellipodia formation in response to vascular endothelial growth factor.

Main Results:

  • WAVE2 was predominantly expressed in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis.
  • WAVE2-/- embryos exhibited hemorrhages and embryonic lethality around day 10.
  • While vasculogenesis was unaffected, angiogenesis was impaired due to decreased endothelial cell sprouting and branching.
  • WAVE2 deficiency severely impaired lamellipodia formation in endothelial cells, despite normal cell polarity establishment.

Conclusions:

  • WAVE2 is essential for proper cell movement, particularly lamellipodia formation in endothelial cells.
  • WAVE2-regulated actin reorganization is critical for effective angiogenesis in vivo.
  • Disruption of WAVE2 leads to impaired blood vessel development and embryonic lethality.