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

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton

The intrinsic polarity of cells can be primarily attributed to two factors- i) the asymmetric accumulation of mobile components such are regulatory molecules and subcellular components across the cell and ii) the orientation of polar cytoskeletal filaments that make up the cytoskeletal networks, specifically microfilaments, and microtubules arranged along the axis of polarity. Interactions between the cytoskeletal filaments are crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the polar nature...

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...

Cell Motility through Blebbing

Cell Motility through Blebbing

Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...

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.

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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Genetically engineered ESC-derived embryos reveal Vinculin-dependent force responses required for mammalian neural tube closure.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

A single-cell atlas of spatial and temporal gene expression in the mouse cranial neural plate.

eLife·2025

Same author

Three-dimensional rosettes in epithelial formation.

Cells & development·2025

Same author

Actin crosslinking is required for force sensing at tricellular junctions.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

A single-cell atlas of spatial and temporal gene expression in the mouse cranial neural plate.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024

Same author

The deubiquitinase USP9X regulates RIT1 protein abundance and oncogenic phenotypes.

iScience·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

Published on: October 3, 2017

Translating cell polarity into tissue elongation.

Athea Vichas¹, Jennifer A Zallen

¹Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology

|October 11, 2011

Summary

Planar cell polarity directs tissue shape by aligning cell behaviors with body axes. Recent studies reveal how cellular dynamics translate these signals into tissue elongation, crucial for organ development.

More Related Videos

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Published on: May 26, 2011

En Face Endocardial Cushion Preparation for Planar Morphogenesis Analysis in Mouse Embryos

En Face Endocardial Cushion Preparation for Planar Morphogenesis Analysis in Mouse Embryos

Published on: July 27, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

The C. elegans Intestine As a Model for Intercellular Lumen Morphogenesis and In Vivo Polarized Membrane Biogenesis at the Single-cell Level: Labeling by Antibody Staining, RNAi Loss-of-function Analysis and Imaging

Published on: October 3, 2017

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Published on: May 26, 2011

En Face Endocardial Cushion Preparation for Planar Morphogenesis Analysis in Mouse Embryos

En Face Endocardial Cushion Preparation for Planar Morphogenesis Analysis in Mouse Embryos

Published on: July 27, 2022

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Planar cell polarity (PCP) establishes cell orientation within tissues, guiding organ and organismal shape.
PCP signaling is vital for aligning cellular behaviors with body axes, driving tissue elongation.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying PCP.
To elucidate how PCP translates into large-scale tissue structure changes.

Main Methods:

Utilizing Drosophila as a model organism.
Employing time-lapse imaging to observe cellular behaviors and dynamics.
Analyzing biochemical and mechanical signals involved in PCP generation.

Main Results:

Identified active cellular behaviors that orient and drive tissue elongation.
Demonstrated the link between cellular dynamics and large-scale tissue structure modifications.
Highlighted the role of both biochemical and mechanical cues in PCP.

Conclusions:

Cellular behaviors dynamically translate PCP into tissue elongation.
Understanding these mechanisms is key to comprehending organogenesis and development.
Drosophila serves as a powerful model for dissecting PCP-driven tissue morphogenesis.