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Cell Migration

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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Measuring Cell-Edge Protrusion Dynamics during Spreading using Live-Cell Microscopy

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Published on: November 1, 2021

Force transmission in migrating cells.

Maxime F Fournier¹, Roger Sauser, Davide Ambrosi

¹Laboratoire de Biophysique Cellulaire, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. maxime.fournier@epfl.ch

The Journal of Cell Biology

|January 27, 2010

Summary

Cell migration involves force transmission via actin cytoskeleton and adhesion complexes. Fish keratocytes show region-specific force transmission mechanisms, differing between actin gripping at the front and slipping at the sides/back.

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Mechanobiology

Background:

Cell migration is crucial for development and disease.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics generate forces transmitted to the substrate via adhesion complexes.
Understanding force generation and transmission mechanisms is key to cell motility.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between actin network velocity and traction forces during cell migration.
To elucidate the mechanisms of force transmission in different regions of migrating cells.
To determine the contribution of actomyosin contraction versus actin assembly to cell body translocation and traction forces.

Main Methods:

Analysis of actin network velocity and traction forces in migrating fish epidermal keratocytes.
Regional analysis of traction-velocity relationships.
Pharmacological inhibition of the actin-myosin system.

Main Results:

Stronger coupling between actin motion and traction forces observed at the cell front and sides compared to the trailing cell body.
Distinct force transmission mechanisms identified: gripping at the front, slipping at the sides and back.
Cell body translocation can be powered by actomyosin contraction or actin assembly, with actomyosin contraction generating larger traction forces.

Conclusions:

Force transmission mechanisms during cell migration are spatially regulated.
Actin-myosin system plays a significant role in generating large traction forces.
Cell migration can utilize different force-generating mechanisms depending on cellular context.