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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Nanopodia - Thin, Fragile Membrane Projections with Roles in Cell Movement and Intercellular Interactions

Nanopodia - Thin, Fragile Membrane Projections with Roles in Cell Movement and Intercellular Interactions

Published on: April 3, 2014

Filopodia formation induced by active mDia2/Drf3.

J Block¹, T E B Stradal, J Hänisch

¹Cytoskeleton Dynamics Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.

Journal of Microscopy

|August 30, 2008

Summary

Human formin mDia2/Drf3 actively nucleates actin filaments for filopodia formation, challenging the lamellipodia-centric model. This suggests de novo actin nucleation drives filopodia extension, not just elongation from existing networks.

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Cytoskeleton Dynamics
Molecular Cell Biology

Background:

Filopodia are actin-based cell protrusions often linked to lamellipodia formation.
Current models propose filopodia arise from actin filament elongation within lamellipodia.
Filopodia formation occurs independently of the Arp2/3 complex, essential for lamellipodia.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of human formin mDia2/Drf3 in filopodia formation.
To determine if filopodia formation relies on de novo actin nucleation or filament elongation.
To analyze the impact of mDia2/Drf3 variants on cell morphology and actin organization.

Main Methods:

Ectopic expression of GFP-tagged full-length and constitutively active mDia2/Drf3 (Drf3DeltaDAD).
Microscopy to observe filopodia morphology, actin filament organization, and protein localization.
Microarray analysis to assess Drf3 expression levels in various cell lines.

Main Results:

Active Drf3DeltaDAD, but not full-length Drf3, induced filopodia formation and localized to their tips.
Drf3DeltaDAD expression levels correlated with filopodia shape (rod-shaped to club-shaped).
Drf3-induced filopodia and lamellipodia-like structures suggest de novo actin nucleation and involvement of fascin.

Conclusions:

Drf3-induced filopodia formation and extension occur via de novo actin nucleation, not solely convergent elongation.
The findings challenge the exclusive model of filopodia formation from lamellipodia networks.
Variable Drf3 expression highlights the need for cell-type-specific analysis of formin functions in actin dynamics.