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

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

3.8K
Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
3.8K
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

7.2K
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.
7.2K
Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

19.0K
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.
19.0K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

5.7K
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...
5.7K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

3.4K
Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
3.4K
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration01:18

Role of Myosin in Cell Migration

3.6K
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....
3.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A conserved VPS34-PIKfyve-TRPML1-myosin II axis regulates the speed of amoeboid cell migration.

EMBO reports·2026
Same author

A new sense for electrical fields.

Cell·2026
Same author

Bmp9 regulates Notch signaling and the temporal dynamics of angiogenesis via Lunatic Fringe.

Developmental cell·2026
Same author

Utilizing the predictable binding kinetics of DNA-PAINT to denoise super-resolution images.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Modelling chemotaxis of branched cells in complex environments provides insights into immune cell navigation.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same author

Cell migration: How animal cells run and tumble.

Current biology : CB·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays
09:55

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Published on: June 1, 2014

141.8K

Focal Adhesion-Independent Cell Migration.

Ewa K Paluch1,2, Irene M Aspalter1,2, Michael Sixt3

  • 1MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom WC1E 6BT;

Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|August 9, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Cell migration is essential for development and healing but can drive cancer spread. Recent findings reveal that specific cell adhesions are not always required for migration, especially in 3D environments.

Keywords:
amoeboid migrationcell migrationcytoskeletonfocal adhesionfriction-based migrationthree-dimensional migration

More Related Videos

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy
13:10

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: April 4, 2013

13.1K
Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy
07:27

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

Published on: May 13, 2012

17.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays
09:55

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Published on: June 1, 2014

141.8K
Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy
13:10

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: April 4, 2013

13.1K
Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy
07:27

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

Published on: May 13, 2012

17.3K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Cell migration is crucial for physiological processes like development, immunity, and wound healing.
  • Aberrant cell migration is a hallmark of cancer metastasis.
  • Focal adhesions were traditionally considered essential for cell migration on 2D substrates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review studies challenging the necessity of focal adhesions for cell migration.
  • To discuss physical mechanisms of focal adhesion-independent migration.
  • To identify future research directions in cell migration.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of cell migration research.
  • Analysis of studies on 3D cell migration.
  • Discussion of biophysical models for cell movement.

Main Results:

  • Focal adhesions are not required for cells migrating in 3D environments.
  • Substrate confinement can facilitate cell migration without specific adhesions.
  • Alternative physical mechanisms drive cell body translocation in 3D.

Conclusions:

  • The requirement of focal adhesions for cell migration is context-dependent.
  • Understanding focal adhesion-independent migration is key for cancer research.
  • Further investigation into the physics of 3D cell migration is needed.