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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy

Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy

Published on: May 13, 2012

Quantitative analysis of cell migration using optical flow.

Katica Boric¹, Patricio Orio, Thierry Viéville

¹Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.

|August 13, 2013

Summary

Ethanol exposure during development causes subtle defects in zebrafish neural crest cell migration. This study quantified changes in cell movement and asymmetry, revealing potential links to facial development.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy

Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy

Published on: May 13, 2012

Analysis of Shear Flow-induced Migration of Murine Marginal Zone B Cells In Vitro

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Published on: November 26, 2018

Analysis of Cell Migration within a Three-dimensional Collagen Matrix

Analysis of Cell Migration within a Three-dimensional Collagen Matrix

Published on: October 5, 2014

Area of Science:

Developmental biology
Neuroscience
Genetics

Background:

Neural crest cells are crucial for development, migrating extensively to form various tissues.
Understanding neural crest cell migration is key to deciphering developmental processes and abnormalities.
Ethanol is a known teratogen, but its specific effects on neural crest cell migration require detailed quantification.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and apply a novel computational assay for quantifying in vivo neural crest cell migration.
To investigate the subtle defects in cranial neural crest cell migration caused by early ethanol exposure in zebrafish.
To correlate observed migration changes with potential impacts on facial development.

Main Methods:

Utilized a sox10:EGFP transgenic zebrafish line for visualizing neural crest cells.
Developed a quantitative assay combining Optical Flow and affine transformation for analyzing cell population migration in time-lapse movies.
Compared migration patterns of neural crest cells in ethanol-treated versus untreated zebrafish embryos.

Main Results:

Detected and quantified significant differences in cranial neural crest cell migration between ethanol-exposed and control groups.
Ethanol exposure increased left-right asymmetry in migrating neural crest cell populations.
Altered directions of cell movement were observed in ethanol-treated embryos.

Conclusions:

The novel computational method effectively quantifies population-level cell migration and detects subtle defects.
Early ethanol exposure induces specific alterations in zebrafish cranial neural crest cell migration dynamics.
These migration defects may contribute to facial asymmetries observed in developmental disorders and potentially normal populations.