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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.
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...
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However, invadopodia can...
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...
Types of Membrane Protrusions01:28

Types of Membrane Protrusions

The protrusion of the cell surface is an initial step for several cellular processes, including cell migration, phagocytosis, and neurite outgrowth. These membrane protrusions are a result of cytoskeletal rearrangement. The most  widely observed cell protrusions include lamellipodia, pseudopodia, filopodia, microvilli, invadopodia, and podosomes. These protrusions can be of two types — static or dynamic.
The microvilli, an example of stable protrusions, are finger-like projections with a...

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Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells
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Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells

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Proteolytic interstitial cell migration: a five-step process.

Peter Friedl1, Katarina Wolf

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen Center for Molecular Life Science, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, P.O. 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. P.Friedl@ncmls.ru.nl

Cancer Metastasis Reviews
|January 21, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell migration involves pericellular proteolysis, degrading extracellular matrix (ECM) to facilitate cell movement in three dimensions. This process aids cell translocation and reorganizes ECM fibers, creating aligned patterns.

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Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells
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Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells

Published on: May 24, 2024

Evaluation of Cancer Stem Cell Migration Using Compartmentalizing Microfluidic Devices and Live Cell Imaging
09:36

Evaluation of Cancer Stem Cell Migration Using Compartmentalizing Microfluidic Devices and Live Cell Imaging

Published on: December 23, 2011

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium
11:20

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium

Published on: November 7, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Extracellular Matrix Research

Background:

  • Cell migration is crucial for tissue development and repair.
  • Existing models of cell migration often focus on 2D environments, neglecting 3D tissue constraints.
  • The role of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in 3D cell migration requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe pericellular proteolysis as an integral step in 3D cell migration.
  • To integrate ECM degradation and realignment into the established cell migration cycle.
  • To elucidate how ECM remodeling influences cell movement and physical stress.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of cell migration in 3D interstitial tissues.
  • Analysis of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and fiber realignment.
  • Integration of pericellular proteolysis into a multi-step model of cell migration.

Main Results:

  • Pericellular proteolysis focalizes ECM breakdown several micrometers behind the leading edge.
  • Cell contraction leads to rear-end retraction and sliding of the cell body.
  • A tube-like matrix defect bordered by realigned ECM fibers is formed.
  • ECM gap widening reduces physical stress on the cell body.

Conclusions:

  • Pericellular proteolysis is essential for efficient 3D cell migration.
  • This process facilitates cell translocation by degrading physical ECM barriers.
  • Cell migration actively remodels the ECM, leading to higher-order aligned patterns.