Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Monitoring ER/SR Calcium Release with the Targeted Ca2+ Sensor CatchER+
12:30

Monitoring ER/SR Calcium Release with the Targeted Ca2+ Sensor CatchER+

Published on: May 19, 2017

The ER Ca²⁺ sensor STIM1 regulates actomyosin contractility of migratory cells

Ying-Ting Chen1, Yih-Fung Chen, Wen-Tai Chiu

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Egineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.

Journal of Cell Science
|February 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) regulates cancer cell migration by controlling calcium signaling and actomyosin contractility. STIM1

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an endoplasmic reticulum calcium sensor crucial for store-operated calcium entry (SOCE).
  • STIM1's role in cancer progression, particularly in breast and cervical cancers, is recognized, but its precise molecular mechanisms driving migration are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulatory mechanisms by which STIM1-dependent calcium signaling influences cancer cell migration.
  • To elucidate the role of STIM1 in focal adhesion dynamics, actomyosin organization, and cell contractile force generation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized SOCE inhibitors (SKF96365, 2-APB, YM-58483) and STIM1 silencing/overexpression in cervical cancer cells.
  • Employed live cell confocal microscopy and 3D tomograms to visualize STIM1 localization and dynamics.
  • Assessed focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and talin recruitment, myosin II phosphorylation, actomyosin formation, and cell contractile force using a post-array-detector system.

Main Results:

  • SOCE inhibitors and STIM1 silencing significantly reduced cervical cancer cell migration, while STIM1 overexpression enhanced it.
  • STIM1 translocation to the plasma membrane correlated with increased cytosolic calcium spikes and was essential for focal adhesion dynamics.
  • STIM1 is critical for epidermal growth factor-induced myosin II phosphorylation, actomyosin formation, and the generation of cell contractile force.

Conclusions:

  • STIM1-dependent calcium signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating cancer cell migration.
  • STIM1 controls cell migration through the modulation of actomyosin reorganization and the enhancement of cellular contractile forces.
  • These findings highlight STIM1 as a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting cancer progression.

More Related Videos

Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos12:35

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

Published on: April 14, 2023

In Vivo Calcium Imaging in C. elegans Body Wall Muscles08:03

In Vivo Calcium Imaging in C. elegans Body Wall Muscles

Published on: October 20, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They  are held...
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 Motility through Blebbing01:16

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...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
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.