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 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...

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.

Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments

Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments

The straight or branched structure formation of actin filaments is controlled by nucleating proteins such as the formins and Arp2/3 complex. Formin-mediated assembly results in straight filaments, whereas Arp2/3 protein complex-mediated assembly results in branched actin filaments.
Arp2/3 Complex
Arp2/3 complex is a seven-subunit complex consisting of two proteins similar to actin- Arp2 and Arp3, and five other subunits that help keep Arp2 and Arp3 inactive. When required, the complex is...

Actin Filament Depolymerization

Actin Filament Depolymerization

Actin filaments (F-actin) are composed of actin subunits. The dissociation of actin monomers can occur from either end of F-actin. The rate of dissociation is faster from the minus-end or the pointed end, where the actin subunits exist with a bound ADP, together known as ADP-actin. The depolymerization of F-actin is aided by proteins, including the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) and cofilin family of proteins, gelsolin, and glia maturation factor (GMF).
In F-actin, the ADF/cofilin proteins...

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...

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,...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Endothelial αvβ3 integrin induction during hypoxia protects blood-brain barrier integrity.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Interleukin 13 signaling modulates dopaminergic functions and nicotine reward in rodents.

Molecular psychiatry·2025

Same author

An original donor-dependent spheroid system for the prediction of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury risk.

In vitro models·2025

Same author

β1 integrin is essential for blood-brain barrier integrity under stable and vascular remodelling conditions; effects differ with age.

Fluids and barriers of the CNS·2023

Same author

IFT proteins interact with HSET to promote supernumerary centrosome clustering in mitosis.

EMBO reports·2020

Same author

Caveolin-1 Phosphorylation Is Essential for Axonal Growth of Human Neurons Derived From iPSCs.

Frontiers in cellular neuroscience·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 14, 2023

Reactive oxygen species regulate protrusion efficiency by controlling actin dynamics.

Nicolas Taulet¹, Violaine D Delorme-Walker, Céline DerMardirossian

¹Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America.

|August 10, 2012

Summary

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) trigger persistent cell protrusions by enhancing actin dynamics in the lamellipodium and lamella. This study reveals ROS control cell migration and protrusion efficiency through actin cytoskeleton modulation.

More Related Videos

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

Published on: June 3, 2021

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress

Published on: October 13, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 14, 2023

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

Published on: June 3, 2021

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress

Published on: October 13, 2019

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biochemistry
Biophysics

Background:

Cell migration relies on dynamic actin cytoskeleton remodeling for protrusion formation.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in cell sensing and migration, but their precise role in protrusion dynamics is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the mechanisms by which ROS influence cell protrusion and actin dynamics during migration.

Main Methods:

Fluorescent speckle microscopy was used to visualize F-actin dynamics in migrating epithelial cells.
Analysis focused on lamellipodium and lamella F-actin networks, cofilin activity, Arp2/3 recruitment, and ERK activity.

Main Results:

ROS stimulation induced persistent cell protrusions.
Enhanced F-actin retrograde flow in the lamellipodium, increased cofilin activity, Arp2/3 recruitment, and ERK activity were observed.
Accelerated F-actin flow and enhanced cell contractility in the lamella were correlated with ROS stimulation.

Conclusions:

ROS actively modulate both lamellipodium and lamella actin networks.
These modulations are critical for controlling protrusion efficiency and cell migration in response to ROS gradients.