Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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.
What is an Electrochemical Gradient?01:26

What is an Electrochemical Gradient?

Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is considered the primary energy source in cells. However, energy can also be stored in the electrochemical gradient of an ion across the plasma membrane, which is determined by two factors: its chemical and electrical gradients.The chemical gradient relies on differences in the abundance of a substance on the outside versus the inside of a cell and flows from areas of high to low ion concentration. In contrast, the electrical gradient revolves around an ion’s...
Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration01:21

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...
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...
Transcellular Transport of Solutes01:23

Transcellular Transport of Solutes

Transcellular transport of solutes is the movement of substances like monosaccharides and amino acids through polarized cells. This transport mechanism is primarily seen in epithelial and endothelial cells aided by membrane transport proteins such as channels and transporters. The tight junctions between these cells confine the membrane proteins to the two sides of the cell. The epithelial cells have distinct apical and basolateral domains. In contrast, the endothelial cells show the luminal...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Thermostructural and elastic properties of Ni<sub>3</sub>V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub>, exhibiting a kagome layer arrangement: experimental study in the range 15-1323 K.

Acta crystallographica Section B, Structural science, crystal engineering and materials·2026
Same author

Concurrent Terahertz Spin Excitations and Phase Shift Control in Fe<sub>4</sub>Nb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>: A Material for Synergizing Computation and Communication Technologies.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

A Home- and Community-Based Neurorehabilitation Program for Pediatric Brain Injury: A Case Series.

Physical & occupational therapy in pediatrics·2026
Same author

Ionized magnesium levels and atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery - The iMagic Prospective Cohort Study.

PloS one·2026
Same author

pH-Dependent Microenvironmental Ionic Signaling in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Acta physiologica (Oxford, England)·2026
Same author

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other contaminants of concern in tribal waters of Montana.

Environmental science. Processes & impacts·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Planar Gradient Diffusion System to Investigate Chemotaxis in a 3D Collagen Matrix
09:26

Planar Gradient Diffusion System to Investigate Chemotaxis in a 3D Collagen Matrix

Published on: June 12, 2015

Intracellular pH gradients in migrating cells.

Christine Martin1, Stine F Pedersen, Albrecht Schwab

  • 1Institute of Physiology II, II, University of Muenster, Robert-Koch-Str. 27b, D-48149 Münster, Germany.

American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology
|December 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Cell migration requires polarization. This study shows that uneven distribution of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE1 activity creates an intracellular pH (pH(i)) gradient essential for cell movement.

More Related Videos

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy
13:10

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: April 4, 2013

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium
11:20

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium

Published on: November 7, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Planar Gradient Diffusion System to Investigate Chemotaxis in a 3D Collagen Matrix
09:26

Planar Gradient Diffusion System to Investigate Chemotaxis in a 3D Collagen Matrix

Published on: June 12, 2015

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy
13:10

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: April 4, 2013

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium
11:20

Quantitative Assessment of Human Neutrophil Migration Across a Cultured Bladder Epithelium

Published on: November 7, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell polarization is crucial for directed cell migration.
  • Spatial asymmetry in protein localization enables coordinated cell protrusion and retraction.
  • Intracellular pH (pH(i)) gradients may act as regulators of cell migration, but have not been demonstrated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that uneven Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 1 (NHE1) activity creates an intracellular pH (pH(i)) gradient in migrating cells.
  • To investigate the role of NHE1 in establishing pH(i) asymmetry along the axis of cell movement.

Main Methods:

  • Measurement of intracellular pH (pH(i)) using the pH-sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF in five different cell lines (MV3, B16V, NIH3T3, MDCK-F1, EA.hy926).
  • Assessment of pH(i) differences along the axis of movement (front vs. rear).
  • Inhibition of NHE1 activity using the specific inhibitor HOE642 or by removing extracellular Na(+) to observe effects on the pH(i) gradient.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in pH(i) between the front and rear of migrating cells were observed across all tested cell lines.
  • Inhibition of NHE1 activity led to a flattening or disappearance of the pH(i) gradient.
  • The Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE1 was identified as a key regulator of this pH(i) asymmetry.

Conclusions:

  • Intracellular pH (pH(i)) gradients, established by the activity of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE1, exist along the axis of cell movement.
  • These pH(i) gradients are essential for cell migration.
  • The findings provide direct evidence for a role of pH(i) asymmetry in regulating cell migration.