Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Chemotaxis in E. coli

Chemotaxis in E. coli

Chemotaxis in Escherichia coli is a sensory-driven motility mechanism that enables bacteria to navigate chemical gradients, moving toward beneficial environments while avoiding harmful conditions. This process relies on a signal transduction system integrating external chemical cues with flagellar motor control.Chemoreceptors and Signal DetectionE. coli detects chemical gradients through methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), which are membrane-bound chemoreceptors that sense attractants...

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon towards...

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 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...

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...

Flagella and Motility in Bacteria

Flagella and Motility in Bacteria

Flagella are specialized, thread-like structures that extend from a bacteria's cell envelope. They play a crucial role in motility and chemotaxis. Their structural organization and functioning exemplify sophisticated biological engineering, enabling bacterial survival and adaptability in diverse environments.Structure of the FlagellumA bacterial flagellum consists of three key components: the filament, the hook, and basal body. The filament, a long, helical structure composed of repeating...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Local Ras/actin signaling orients individual pseudopods in shallow gradients.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Collaboration of Antipodes: Synergy of Branched and Linear F-Actin during Amoeboid Cell Movement and Chemotaxis.

Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology·2025

Same author

Pseudopod Tracking and Statistics During Cell Movement in Buffer and Chemotaxis.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2024

Same author

GRminusRD: A Sensitive Assay to Detect Activation Processes at the Plasma Membrane in Living Cells.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2024

Same author

Analysis of cGMP Signaling in Dictyostelium.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2024

Same author

Forty-five years of cGMP research in <i>Dictyostelium</i>: understanding the regulation and function of the cGMP pathway for cell movement and chemotaxis.

Molecular biology of the cell·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Published on: November 9, 2017

Chemotaxis: insights from the extending pseudopod.

Peter J M Van Haastert¹

¹Department of Cell Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751NN Haren, The Netherlands. p.j.m.van.haastert@rug.nl

Journal of Cell Science

|September 3, 2010

Summary

Cell movement, or chemotaxis, uses internal signals for pseudopod extension and external chemoattractants to direct cell migration towards gradients. This research offers a new perspective on how cells navigate environments.

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Chemotaxis guides cell movement using chemoattractant gradients.
Existing models focus on signaling pathways directing cell motility.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent findings on pseudopod extension in cell chemotaxis.
To present a new perspective on cell movement mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Review of recent experimental studies on cell chemotaxis.
Analysis of pseudopod dynamics and response to chemoattractants.

Main Results:

Cells utilize endogenous signals for ordered pseudopod extension, exhibiting alternating right/left splits.
Chemoattractants bias this system, orienting pseudopods towards the gradient.

More Related Videos

Imaging G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Chemotaxis and its Signaling Events in Neutrophil-like HL60 Cells

Imaging G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Chemotaxis and its Signaling Events in Neutrophil-like HL60 Cells

Published on: September 14, 2016

C. elegans Chemotaxis Assay

C. elegans Chemotaxis Assay

Published on: April 27, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Published on: November 9, 2017

Imaging G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Chemotaxis and its Signaling Events in Neutrophil-like HL60 Cells

Imaging G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Chemotaxis and its Signaling Events in Neutrophil-like HL60 Cells

Published on: September 14, 2016

C. elegans Chemotaxis Assay

C. elegans Chemotaxis Assay

Published on: April 27, 2013

A new model for cell movement and chemotaxis is proposed.

Conclusions:

Cell movement is governed by an interplay between internal pseudopod extension dynamics and external chemoattractant cues.
Recent research provides novel insights into the fundamental mechanisms of chemotaxis.