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 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.

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Secreted exosomes induce filopodia formation.

eLife·2026

Same author

Extracellular vesicle heterogeneity through the lens of multiomics.

Cell reports. Medicine·2025

Same author

Secreted exosomes induce filopodia formation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Extracellular Vesicles heterogeneity through the lens of multiomics.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024

Same author

An Immunofluorescence-Guided Segmentation Model in Hematoxylin and Eosin Images Is Enabled by Tissue Artifact Correction Using a Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Network.

Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc·2024

Same author

Multiparametric Single-Vesicle Flow Cytometry Resolves Extracellular Vesicle Heterogeneity and Reveals Selective Regulation of Biogenesis and Cargo Distribution.

ACS nano·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Quantifying Three-Dimensional Cell Migration Within and Into Granular Hydrogel Biomaterials

Quantifying Three-Dimensional Cell Migration Within and Into Granular Hydrogel Biomaterials

Published on: March 7, 2025

Established and novel methods of interrogating two-dimensional cell migration.

William J Ashby¹, Andries Zijlstra

¹Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.

Integrative Biology : Quantitative Biosciences From Nano to Macro

|October 6, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This review details in vitro cell migration assays, focusing on 2D methods like the scratch assay. It helps researchers choose the best assay for their specific cell motility studies.

More Related Videos

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

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

Published on: April 4, 2013

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Published on: February 21, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Quantifying Three-Dimensional Cell Migration Within and Into Granular Hydrogel Biomaterials

Quantifying Three-Dimensional Cell Migration Within and Into Granular Hydrogel Biomaterials

Published on: March 7, 2025

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

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

Published on: April 4, 2013

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Published on: February 21, 2014

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Cell motility is crucial for biological processes.
Cell migration assays are widely used in research.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide a comprehensive review of in vitro cell migration assays.
To compare and categorize assays based on readouts and parameters.
To aid researchers in selecting appropriate assays.

Main Methods:

Review of current and emerging in vitro cell migration assays.
Emphasis on two-dimensional (2D) assays, including the scratch assay.
Categorization by biological readout and physical parameters.

Main Results:

Detailed comparison of various cell migration assay methodologies.
Discussion of benefits and quantification strategies for each assay.
Structured overview to facilitate informed decision-making.

Conclusions:

In vitro cell migration assays are diverse and essential tools.
Understanding assay characteristics is key to successful application.
This review offers a structured guide for assay selection.