Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

4.7K
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...
4.7K
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration01:18

Role 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....
2.8K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal 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
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

3.1K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
3.1K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

2.7K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
2.7K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

3.2K
The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
3.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Physics, feedbacks, and forms.

Seminars in cell & developmental biology·2026
Same author

Mechanical regulation of cuboidal-to-squamous epithelial transition in the Drosophila developing wing.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

Spatial patterning of contractility by a self-organized mechanogen activity gradient underlies Drosophila gastrulation.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

The hard truth about how hard it is to publish in Development.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of inner ear morphogenesis in zebrafish.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

A self-limiting mechanotransduction feedback loop ensures robust organ formation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Dissecting planar and vertical organiser signals in early chick neural development.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

Real-time transcriptomic profiling of hPSC-derived cartilage during development identifies a key role for the extracellular matrix in homeostasis and protection.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

In preprints - housekeeping the housekeeping genes.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

In preprints - light, cluster, friction: a cell dance on the gastrulation stage.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

PBX-dependent and -independent Hox programs establish and maintain motor neuron terminal identity.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

NUDT21 regulates 3'UTR dynamics in epididymal principal cells to preserve sperm integrity.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos
12:35

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

Published on: April 14, 2023

2.0K

Actomyosin networks and tissue morphogenesis.

Akankshi Munjal1, Thomas Lecuit

  • 1Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS UMR 7288, Campus de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France.

Development (Cambridge, England)
|April 24, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular tension from actomyosin networks drives tissue morphogenesis. These networks precisely regulate forces transmitted through cell adhesion molecules, influencing tissue development.

Keywords:
AdhesionContractilityMechanicsMorphogenesisMyosin

More Related Videos

Tuning the Contractility and Deformation Modes of Active Actin-Based Assemblies In Vitro: From Two-Dimensional Active Networks to Liquid Crystal Drops
06:48

Tuning the Contractility and Deformation Modes of Active Actin-Based Assemblies In Vitro: From Two-Dimensional Active Networks to Liquid Crystal Drops

Published on: July 11, 2025

957
The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

1.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos
12:35

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

Published on: April 14, 2023

2.0K
Tuning the Contractility and Deformation Modes of Active Actin-Based Assemblies In Vitro: From Two-Dimensional Active Networks to Liquid Crystal Drops
06:48

Tuning the Contractility and Deformation Modes of Active Actin-Based Assemblies In Vitro: From Two-Dimensional Active Networks to Liquid Crystal Drops

Published on: July 11, 2025

957
The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

1.3K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Tissue morphogenesis relies on coordinated cellular shape changes.
  • Intracellular contractile networks, composed of actin filaments, cross-linkers, and myosin motors, power these cellular deformations.
  • Actomyosin networks generate subcellular forces that are transmitted via cell adhesion molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the mechanics, principles, and regulation of actomyosin-driven cellular tension.
  • To elucidate the role of actomyosin networks in tissue morphogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on cellular mechanics and tissue development.
  • Analysis of the components and regulation of actomyosin networks.
  • Examination of force transmission mechanisms in cellular adhesion.

Main Results:

  • Actomyosin networks are the primary drivers of cellular deformations during morphogenesis.
  • Precise regulation of subcellular forces by actomyosin networks is crucial.
  • Adhesive clusters (cadherins, integrins) mediate force transmission to the cell cortex and extracellular environment.

Conclusions:

  • Actomyosin-driven cellular tension is a fundamental mechanism in tissue morphogenesis.
  • Understanding the mechanics and regulation of these networks is key to comprehending developmental processes.