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Related Concept Videos

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal 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...
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration01:18

Role 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...
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.
Cell Migration01:19

Cell 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.
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...
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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Measuring Cell-Edge Protrusion Dynamics during Spreading using Live-Cell Microscopy
05:50

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

Published on: November 1, 2021

Cell migration driven by cooperative substrate deformation patterns.

Thomas E Angelini1, Edouard Hannezo, Xavier Trepat

  • 1School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.

Physical Review Letters
|May 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Eukaryotic cells sense mechanical properties, influencing development and healing. Cooperative cell-driven substrate deformation creates long-distance mechanical coupling, controlling collective cell migration.

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Traction Microscopy Integrated with Microfluidics for Chemotactic Collective Migration
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Traction Microscopy Integrated with Microfluidics for Chemotactic Collective Migration

Published on: October 13, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Measuring Cell-Edge Protrusion Dynamics during Spreading using Live-Cell Microscopy
05:50

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

Published on: November 1, 2021

Traction Microscopy Integrated with Microfluidics for Chemotactic Collective Migration
10:53

Traction Microscopy Integrated with Microfluidics for Chemotactic Collective Migration

Published on: October 13, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Mechanobiology

Background:

  • Eukaryotic cells interact with and respond to the mechanical characteristics of their environment.
  • These mechanical interactions are crucial for collective cell behaviors observed in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and wound repair.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how substrate-mediated cell-cell interactions influence collective cell migration.
  • To quantify the relationship between cell motion, substrate deformation, and mechanical coupling.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a deformable substrate to observe and measure collective cell behavior.
  • Quantified spatial and temporal correlations in cell migration velocity and substrate deformation.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that cells collectively deform the substrate.
  • Showed that these cell-driven substrate deformation patterns establish long-distance mechanical coupling between cells.
  • Identified this coupling as a key regulator of collective cell migration patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Cooperative cell-driven substrate deformation is a critical mechanism for intercellular communication.
  • This mechanical communication network governs collective cell migration dynamics.
  • Understanding these mechanobiological principles is vital for fields like regenerative medicine and developmental biology.