Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
11:09
Revealing the Cytoskeletal Organization of Invasive Cancer Cells in 3D
Published on: October 26, 2013
One-dimensional topography underlies three-dimensional fibrillar cell migration.
Andrew D Doyle1, Francis W Wang, Kazue Matsumoto
1Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. adoyle@mail.nih.gov
The Journal of Cell Biology
|February 18, 2009
Summary
Cells migrate rapidly in 3D fibrillar matrices via a 1D mechanism, unlike 2D cultures. This process relies on myosin II and microtubules, not extracellular matrix (ECM) density.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Cell migration is crucial for development and disease.
- Current understanding is based on 2D cultures, limiting insights into 3D environments.
- The role of topography in 3D cell migration within fibrillar matrices is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate 3D cell migration mechanisms using oriented 1D fibrillar patterns.
- To identify the influence of topography on cell migration in 3D extracellular matrix (ECM).
- To compare 1D/3D cell migration with traditional 2D cell culture models.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a novel microphotopatterning (microPP) technique.
- Utilizing 1D fibrillar patterns to mimic 3D ECM topography.
- Analyzing cell migration speed, directionality, and dependence on cellular components.
Main Results:
- Cell migration in 1D and 3D is rapid and uniaxial, contrasting with 2D migration.
- Migration is independent of extracellular matrix (ECM) ligand density.
- Cell migration is dependent on myosin II contractility and microtubules (MTs).
- A characteristic anterior MT bundle and posterior centrosome were observed in 1D/3D migration.
Conclusions:
- Cells employ a distinct 1D migratory mechanism in 3D fibrillar matrices.
- This 1D mechanism is not replicated in standard 2D cell culture.
- Microphotopatterning (microPP) is a valuable tool for studying 3D cell migration.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Cell 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.
01:19Cell 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.
01:32Cytoskeletal 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...
01:18Role 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...
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...
01:31Mechanism 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...
01:13Actin 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.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.