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Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

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 Formation

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...

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

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...

Actin Polymerization

Actin Polymerization

Actin polymerization occurs through the head-to-tail association of binding sites on monomeric actin or G-actin to form filamentous or F-actin. The polymerization can be divided into three phases ̶ nucleation, elongation, and steady-state phase.
The nucleation phase involves forming a stable nucleus consisting of three actin monomers to form a new actin filament. Actin-binding proteins such as formins and Arp2/3 complex help filament growth post-nucleation. The Formins form straight actin...

Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments

Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments

The straight or branched structure formation of actin filaments is controlled by nucleating proteins such as the formins and Arp2/3 complex. Formin-mediated assembly results in straight filaments, whereas Arp2/3 protein complex-mediated assembly results in branched actin filaments.
Arp2/3 Complex
Arp2/3 complex is a seven-subunit complex consisting of two proteins similar to actin- Arp2 and Arp3, and five other subunits that help keep Arp2 and Arp3 inactive. When required, the complex is...

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

In eukaryotic cells, cytoskeletal filaments such as actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments form a mesh-like cytoskeletal network. These filaments serve as tracks for transporting cellular cargo. Specialized motor proteins use the chemical energy stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for this transport. During interphase, microtubules are polarized, with the plus-end towards the cell periphery and the minus-end towards the cell center. Two microtubule-associated motor proteins,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Published on: October 28, 2022

Engineering an artificial amoeba propelled by nanoparticle-triggered actin polymerization.

Jinsoo Yi¹, Jacob Schmidt, Aichi Chien

¹Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Plaza, 7523 Boelter Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1600, USA.

|May 7, 2009

Summary

Researchers created an artificial cell that moves like an amoeba using engineered nanoparticles and biological components. This novel system mimics bacterial locomotion for self-propulsion via actin polymerization.

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Published on: July 11, 2025

Area of Science:

Biomimetic engineering
Synthetic biology
Nanotechnology

Background:

Bacterial locomotion, specifically Listeria monocytogenes, relies on actin polymerization for movement.
Artificial cells offer a platform for studying fundamental biological processes and developing novel propulsion systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer an artificial amoeba-like system capable of self-propulsion.
To mimic Listeria monocytogenes locomotion using nanofabricated inorganic materials and biological components.
To investigate the role of actin polymerization and ATP in driving artificial cell movement.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of nickel and gold nanoparticles functionalized with Listeria ActA protein.
Encapsulation of functionalized nanoparticles with actin, actin-binding proteins, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within a lipid vesicle.
Observation of vesicle locomotion on a glass surface.

Main Results:

The engineered artificial cell successfully propelled itself on a glass surface, exhibiting amoeba-like crawling.
Propulsion was achieved through a mechanism analogous to Listeria monocytogenes actin-based motility.
The speed of movement was directly correlated with the concentrations of actin monomers and ATP.

Conclusions:

A functional artificial cell capable of self-propulsion via biomimetic actin polymerization has been successfully engineered.
This system demonstrates the potential of combining inorganic nanomaterials with biological machinery for creating artificial motile systems.
The study provides insights into the fundamental mechanisms of actin-based motility and its application in synthetic biology.