Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
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...
Actin Filament Depolymerization01:19

Actin Filament Depolymerization

Actin filaments (F-actin) are composed of actin subunits. The dissociation of actin monomers can occur from either end of F-actin. The rate of dissociation is faster from the minus-end or the pointed end, where the actin subunits exist with a bound ADP, together known as ADP-actin. The depolymerization of F-actin is aided by proteins, including the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) and cofilin family of proteins, gelsolin, and glia maturation factor (GMF).
In F-actin, the ADF/cofilin proteins...
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comparative Analysis of Hypertensive Tubulopathy in Animal Models of Hypertension and Its Relevance to Human Pathology.

Toxicologic pathology·2023
Same author

Comparative analysis of hypertensive nephrosclerosis in animal models of hypertension and its relevance to human pathology. Glomerulopathy.

PloS one·2022
Same author

Limited usefulness of routine head and neck CT angiogram in the imaging assessment of dizziness in the emergency department.

The neuroradiology journal·2021
Same author

A novel method for comparison of arterial remodeling in hypertension: Quantification of arterial trees and recognition of remodeling patterns on histological sections.

PloS one·2019
Same author

Proteostasis as a therapeutic target in glomerular injury associated with mutant α-actinin-4.

American journal of physiology. Renal physiology·2018
Same author

PGE<sub>2</sub> EP<sub>1</sub> receptor inhibits vasopressin-dependent water reabsorption and sodium transport in mouse collecting duct.

Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology·2017
Same journal

Mechanics and dynamics of the cytoskeleton. Proceedings of a FEBS workshop. June 22-26, 2008. Potsdam, Germany.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
Same journal

Mechanics and dynamics of the cytoskeleton: a special issue stemming from the 2008 ECF Meeting/ FEBS Workshop (Mechanics and Dynamics of the Cytoskeleton) in Potsdam, Germany.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
Same journal

Mechanics and dynamics of the cytoskeleton: a special issue stemming from the 2008 ECF Meeting/FEBS Workshop (Mechanics and Dynamics of the Cytoskeleton) in Potsdam, Germany.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
Same journal

Hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane potential provokes reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and increases the stability of adherens junctions in bovine corneal endothelial cells in culture.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
Same journal

Centriole symmetry: a big tale from small organisms.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
Same journal

Fluorescence-based quantitative scratch wound healing assay demonstrating the role of MAPKAPK-2/3 in fibroblast migration.

Cell motility and the cytoskeleton·2009
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Single-channel Analysis and Calcium Imaging in the Podocytes of the Freshly Isolated Glomeruli
12:19

Single-channel Analysis and Calcium Imaging in the Podocytes of the Freshly Isolated Glomeruli

Published on: June 27, 2015

Modulating alpha-actinin-4 dynamics in podocytes.

Jean-Louis R Michaud1, Mona Hosseini-Abardeh, Kevin Farah

  • 1Kidney Research Centre, Ottawa Health Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton
|February 12, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mutations in alpha-actinin-4 (a protein in kidney podocytes) increase its binding to actin, disrupting cell structure and function. This suggests dynamic protein-actin interactions are vital for maintaining podocyte integrity under mechanical stress.

More Related Videos

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium
08:46

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium

Published on: September 1, 2015

Imaging of Podocytic Proteins Nephrin, Actin, and Podocin with Expansion Microscopy
06:18

Imaging of Podocytic Proteins Nephrin, Actin, and Podocin with Expansion Microscopy

Published on: April 23, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Single-channel Analysis and Calcium Imaging in the Podocytes of the Freshly Isolated Glomeruli
12:19

Single-channel Analysis and Calcium Imaging in the Podocytes of the Freshly Isolated Glomeruli

Published on: June 27, 2015

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium
08:46

Implementing Patch Clamp and Live Fluorescence Microscopy to Monitor Functional Properties of Freshly Isolated PKD Epithelium

Published on: September 1, 2015

Imaging of Podocytic Proteins Nephrin, Actin, and Podocin with Expansion Microscopy
06:18

Imaging of Podocytic Proteins Nephrin, Actin, and Podocin with Expansion Microscopy

Published on: April 23, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Renal Physiology
  • Molecular Medicine

Background:

  • Podocytes are crucial for kidney filtration, with the slit diaphragm acting as a key component.
  • Mutations in alpha-actinin-4, an actin-binding protein in podocytes, are linked to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
  • Alpha-actinin-4's function is regulated by calcium and phosphoinositides, but disease-associated mutations may alter this sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how mutations affecting alpha-actinin-4's affinity for actin influence its regulation by calcium and phosphoinositides.
  • To compare the cellular behavior and mechanical response of wild-type alpha-actinin-4 with disease-associated and engineered mutants.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of calcium-insensitive (mutEF) and phosphoinositide-insensitive (mutPI) alpha-actinin-4 variants.
  • In vitro actin sedimentation assays to measure protein-actin binding affinity.
  • Cell culture studies using podocytes to assess protein localization and turnover (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching).
  • Mechanical stimulation assays to evaluate podocyte structural integrity.

Main Results:

  • The phosphoinositide-insensitive mutant (mutPI) showed increased actin affinity, similar to the disease mutant (K256E).
  • Mutants K256E and mutPI were mislocalized in podocytes and exhibited reduced turnover in stress fibers and focal adhesions.
  • Podocytes with high-affinity alpha-actinin-4 mutants showed a more severe reduction in surface area under mechanical stress.

Conclusions:

  • Dynamic regulation of alpha-actinin-4 and actin interactions is essential for podocyte structural stability.
  • Gain-of-affinity mutations in alpha-actinin-4 disrupt normal cellular localization and dynamics, contributing to podocyte dysfunction.
  • Altered alpha-actinin-4 regulation may underlie the pathogenesis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.