Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
07:27
Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy
Published on: May 13, 2012
16.3K
Intrinsic fluctuations of cell migration under different cellular densities
1Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China. phchenwei@fudan.edu.cn.
Soft Matter
|March 20, 2014
Summary
Dictyostelium discoideum cell motility fluctuations are constant regardless of speed or density. This suggests inherent motion properties drive cell movement, unaffected by external factors or interactions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Microscopy
Background:
- Dictyostelium discoideum (DD) cells exhibit complex motility patterns.
- Understanding cell movement dynamics is crucial in various biological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the motility and fluctuation kinetics of Dictyostelium discoideum cells.
- To determine the influence of cell density and speed on motility fluctuations.
Main Methods:
- Video microscopy was employed to observe DD cell movement.
- Cells were plated on agar at varying densities (n).
- Analysis focused on fluctuation amplitudes in relation to cell velocity (v).
Main Results:
- Cellular kinetics were analyzed along forward-moving and normal directions.
- Fluctuation amplitude along the forward direction (R||) increased with cell density (n).
- Fluctuation amplitude along the normal direction (R⊥) was independent of density and speed, indicating a constant orientational fluctuation amplitude (κ).
Conclusions:
- The amplitude of orientational fluctuation (κ) in DD cells is intrinsic and independent of speed and density.
- Cellular interactions do not affect κ.
- Suggests that orientational fluctuations stem from inherent properties of DD cell motion.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Cell Migration
16.6K
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.
16.6K
01:19Cell Migration
6.1K
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.
6.1K
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
4.9K
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...
4.9K
01:13Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility
5.8K
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....
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate....
5.8K
01:21Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration
5.0K
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...
5.0K
01:18Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
2.8K
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....
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....
2.8K