Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

A 3D Spheroid Model as a More Physiological System for Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Differentiation and Invasion In Vitro Studies
Published on: August 8, 2019
[Integrin beta1 mediates hepatocellular carcinoma cells chemotaxis to laminin]
Bian-hong Fu1, Ze-zhi Wu, Hai-yan Zhang
1Key Lab for Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering under the State Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
Objective:
To study the effects of integrin beta1 on the chemotaxis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells to laminin (LN).
Methods:
A micropipette technique was adopted to investigate the effect of integrin beta1 blockade on pseudopod protrusion of HCC cells in response to LN stimulation. Chemotactic pseudopod protrusion of a HCC cell was evaluated using a dual-pipette set-up, in which two pipettes filled with LN solution were positional in close contact with the same cell, and pseudopod protrusion into each pipette was viewed dynamically and recorded with a tape recorder. The lengths of pseudopods were measured, then plotted against time to obtain a pseudopod growth curve. The integrin beta1 subunit on the surfaces of HCC cells was analyzed by flow cytometry.
Results:
In dual pipette chemotaxis experiment, when the two pipettes were filled with LN (50microg/ml, 200microg/ml), pseudopods extended from the HCC cells into each of the pipettes nearly symmetrically. Upon addition of anti-CD29 (20microg/ml) to one of the pipettes, the pseudopod protrusion was blocked almost completely, while the pseudopod protrusion into the opposite pipette became more evidently, with larger maximum length. The expression rate of integrin beta1 on the cells was up to 95.78%.
Conclusion:
Integrin beta1 subunit is the important receptor for mediating HCC cells chemotaxis to laminin.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Integrins
Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
Laminins are the Adhesive Proteins of Basal Lamina
In humans, the five forms of alpha chains are LAMA 1, LAMA 2, LAMA 3, LAMA 4, and LAMA 5. The four forms of beta chains are LAMB 1, LAMB 2, LAMB 3, and LAMB 4. The three forms of gamma...
Selectins
Anchoring Junctions

