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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

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Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
11:43

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

Published on: April 3, 2015

Dynein regulates cell migration depending on substrate rigidity.

Daehwan Kim1, Eunae You, Sangmyung Rhee

  • 1School of Biological Sciences (BK21 Program), Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea.

International Journal of Molecular Medicine
|December 28, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Dynein, a microtubule motor, is crucial for cell migration in low-tension environments. Inhibiting dynein activity significantly impairs cell movement, especially when myosin-dependent force generation is blocked or in soft matrices.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Mechanobiology

Background:

  • Cellular physiology, including migration, is regulated by mechanical and biochemical cues.
  • Myosin-dependent contractility is essential for cell migration on stiff 2D surfaces.
  • The role of myosin in cell migration can vary with cell type and environment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of dynein in cell migration, particularly in the absence of significant tractional force.
  • To determine if dynein activity is essential for cell migration in mechanically challenging environments.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized dynein-specific inhibitor erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) to block dynein activity.
  • Employed Rho kinase or myosin inhibitors to block cell contractility.
  • Performed cell migration assays on 2D surfaces and 3D soft collagen matrices.
  • Used dynein intermediate chain (DIC) silencing to assess dynein's role.

Main Results:

  • Dynein inhibition with EHNA significantly reduced fibroblast migration on 2D surfaces when contractility was blocked.
  • Dynein intermediate chain (DIC) silencing profoundly inhibited cell migration in 3D soft matrices, irrespective of myosin activity.
  • DIC-silenced cells exhibited decreased migration on soft acrylamide surfaces even without myosin blockade.

Conclusions:

  • Dynein plays a critical role in cell migration, especially in mechanically low-tension environments.
  • Dynein may act as a primary regulator of cell migration in 3D matrices where tractional forces are minimal.
  • Findings challenge the universal requirement of myosin for cell migration, highlighting dynein's importance.