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Migration

Migration

Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.

Cell Migration

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.

Cell Migration

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.

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

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...

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...

Gastrulation

Gastrulation

Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata will form...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Published on: June 1, 2014

Grand challenges in migration biology.

Melissa S Bowlin¹, Isabelle-Anne Bisson, Judy Shamoun-Baranes

¹Department of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 22362. melissabowlin@gmail.com

Integrative and Comparative Biology

|May 12, 2011

Summary

Animal migration is a complex phenomenon requiring genetic, developmental, and environmental adaptations. Integrative migration biology offers a holistic approach to understand these journeys and their ecological significance.

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Area of Science:

Organismal Biology
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Billions of animals undertake annual migrations, necessitating complex adaptations for survival.
Previous research often fragmented, focusing on single aspects due to constraints.
Migration presents a model system for addressing major challenges in organismal biology.

Purpose of the Study:

To advocate for an integrative approach in migration biology.
To address fundamental questions about the drivers and mechanisms of animal migration.
To understand the ecological and evolutionary significance of migratory behaviors.

Main Methods:

Examining migration from multiple ecological and evolutionary perspectives.
Integrating knowledge from diverse scientific disciplines.
Utilizing new technologies and advanced modeling approaches.

Main Results:

An integrative strategy enhances understanding of biological organization levels.
Identifies the role of migrants in disease transmission dynamics.
Provides insights for effective conservation of migratory species and habitats.

Conclusions:

Integrative migration biology is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of migratory phenomena.
This approach is essential for addressing conservation challenges and disease ecology.
Future research should adopt multifaceted, interdisciplinary strategies.