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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
Assembly of Cytoskeletal Filaments01:18

Assembly of Cytoskeletal Filaments

Cytoskeletal filaments are polymeric forms of smaller protein subunits. However, individual cytoskeletal filaments may easily disassemble or associate with other similar filaments to form rigid structures. Microfilaments, made of actin monomers, rely on actin-binding proteins to form bundles and create networks of individual actin filaments. Microtubules rely on microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) to form sturdy cylindrical structures. However, the proteins involved in forming complex...
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.
Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments01:14

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 Structure of Intermediate Filaments01:19

The Structure of Intermediate Filaments

The intermediate filaments are one of three widely studied cytoskeletal filaments. They are so named as their diameter (10 nm) is in between that of microfilaments (7 nm) and the microtubules (25 nm).  These filaments are highly stable and can remain intact when exposed to high salt concentrations and detergents. These filaments are responsible for providing stability and mechanical support to the cells. They also help in cell adhesion and maintaining tissue integrity.
Intermediate filaments...

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A Graphical User Interface for Software-assisted Tracking of Protein Concentration in Dynamic Cellular Protrusions
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Filopodia: Complex models for simple rods.

Jan Faix1, Dennis Breitsprecher, Theresia E B Stradal

  • 1Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. faix@bpc.mh-hannover.de

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
|May 13, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Filopodia, crucial sensory cell structures, assemble via a core actin machinery. Understanding this mechanism clarifies their diverse roles in cell biology and development.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Filopodia are actin-filled cell protrusions involved in sensing the environment and tissue development.
  • Their formation and turnover rely on actin filament dynamics, but the exact molecular mechanisms remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current understanding of molecular activities governing filopodia assembly.
  • To propose a unified molecular mechanism for filopodia formation based on a core machinery.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of recent experimental data.
  • Theoretical modeling of actin dynamics in filopodia.

Main Results:

  • Conflicting reports on filopodia initiation suggest multiple mechanisms.
  • Recent data indicate a limited set of biochemical activities dictate filopodia structure.
  • A single core machinery model can explain diverse filopodia outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • The assembly of filopodia is likely governed by a conserved set of biochemical activities.
  • A unified model based on a core machinery provides a framework for understanding filopodia formation and function.