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Related Concept Videos

Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
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...
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.
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Live Imaging of Microtubule Dynamics in Glioblastoma Cells Invading the Zebrafish Brain
09:29

Live Imaging of Microtubule Dynamics in Glioblastoma Cells Invading the Zebrafish Brain

Published on: July 29, 2022

Microtubules in cell migration.

Sandrine Etienne-Manneville1

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Cell Polarity and Migration Group and CNRS URA, 75015 Paris, France;

Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|July 24, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microtubules are crucial for cell migration, guiding cellular movement through polarization. Their network orientation is key to sustained, directed cell movement and migration events.

More Related Videos

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels
09:36

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Published on: February 21, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Live Imaging of Microtubule Dynamics in Glioblastoma Cells Invading the Zebrafish Brain
09:29

Live Imaging of Microtubule Dynamics in Glioblastoma Cells Invading the Zebrafish Brain

Published on: July 29, 2022

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels
09:36

Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels

Published on: February 21, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell migration is a fundamental biological process involving coordinated cellular movements.
  • Actin-based forces drive cell protrusion, adhesion, contraction, and retraction during migration.
  • Microtubules have emerged as critical regulators of cell migration over the past decade.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of microtubules in persistent cell migration.
  • To elucidate how microtubule network polarization is established and maintained.
  • To summarize migration-associated signals that influence microtubule polarization.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing literature on microtubule function in cell migration.
  • It examines mechanisms of microtubule dynamics, stability, and network organization.
  • The review discusses signaling pathways impacting microtubule polarization.

Main Results:

  • Microtubules are integral to cell mechanics, intracellular trafficking, and signaling during migration.
  • Front-rear polarization of microtubule functions is essential for directed cell movement.
  • Asymmetric regulation of microtubule dynamics, protein complex distribution, and network orientation are key.

Conclusions:

  • Microtubule network polarity is fundamental for the spatial and temporal coordination of migration events.
  • This polarity is critical for establishing and maintaining persistent, directed cell migration.
  • Understanding microtubule polarization mechanisms offers insights into cellular motility.