Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions
06:37

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions

Published on: June 16, 2018

6.1K

L-Plastin promotes podosome longevity and supports macrophage motility

Julie Y Zhou1, Taylor P Szasz1, Phillip J Stewart-Hutchinson1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, United States.

Molecular Immunology
|September 11, 2016
PubMed

Insights

The actin-bundling protein l-plastin (LPL) is crucial for macrophage motility. Loss of LPL disrupts podosome stability and impairs macrophage elongation, hindering migration in response to infection and autoimmune conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Macrophage migration is vital for host defense and implicated in diseases like infections and autoimmune disorders.
  • Macrophage movement relies on actin cytoskeleton dynamics, including podosomes and lamellipodia formation.
  • The actin-bundling protein l-plastin (LPL) is a potential regulator of these cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of l-plastin (LPL) in primary macrophage migration and actin dynamics.
  • To elucidate the role of LPL in the stability of podosomes and macrophage elongation.
  • To determine the impact of LPL deficiency on macrophage transmigration and in vivo monocyte recruitment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized LPL-deficient (LPL-/-) mice and wild-type controls.
  • Employed live-cell imaging of F-actin in primary resident peritoneal macrophages.
  • Assessed podosome stability, macrophage elongation, and transmigration in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

  • LPL deficiency resulted in disrupted podosome stability, characterized by decreased longevity.
  • Loss of LPL impaired macrophage elongation in response to chemotactic cues.
  • Macrophages lacking LPL exhibited reduced transmigration capacity and decreased monocyte infiltration into the peritoneum.

Conclusions:

  • L-plastin (LPL) plays a critical role in stabilizing long-lived podosomes within macrophages.
  • LPL is essential for enabling macrophage motility, including elongation and transmigration.
  • These findings highlight LPL as a key regulator of macrophage function in inflammatory and immune responses.
Keywords:
Actin cytoskeletonCell motilityMacrophagesPodosomesl-plastin

More Related Videos

Quantification of Endosome and Lysosome Motilities in Cultured Neurons Using Fluorescent Probes08:15

Quantification of Endosome and Lysosome Motilities in Cultured Neurons Using Fluorescent Probes

Published on: May 22, 2017

8.5K
Conditional Knockdown of Gene Expression in Cancer Cell Lines to Study the Recruitment of Monocytes/Macrophages to the Tumor Microenvironment10:59

Conditional Knockdown of Gene Expression in Cancer Cell Lines to Study the Recruitment of Monocytes/Macrophages to the Tumor Microenvironment

Published on: November 23, 2017

12.8K

Related Concept Videos

Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins01:09

Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins

Plakins are large proteins with binding domains for microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and membrane-associated protein complexes at cell junctions. Plakin functions are evolutionarily conserved and are primarily involved in organizing the different components of the cytoskeleton by crosslinking them to each other and connecting them to the cell-matrix and cell adhesion complexes. They are also known to interact with signal transducers, serve as scaffolds for signaling...
3.0K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
3.4K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

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...
3.9K
Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)01:42

Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)

Microtubule function and architecture are regulated by an array of specialized proteins called microtubule-associated proteins or MAPs. These proteins are widespread across different organisms and have conserved protein motifs, like the multi-TOG domain for tubulin binding found in the CLASP family of MAPs. Some MAPs are lineage-specific based on their conserved domains. Their functions depend upon the cytoskeletal architecture and cell type they are located within. In-plant cells, a specific...
6.2K
The Phragmoplast01:59

The Phragmoplast

Cell division is essential for organismal growth and development. In animal cells, the central spindle and its associated proteins form the midbody, a structure that has an essential role in cytokinesis. In plants, the central spindle, along with the microtubules, actin, and other cell components, matures into the phragmoplast, which is necessary for cytokinesis. Unlike the stationary midbody, the phragmoplast expands centrifugally, eventually leading to the formation of the new cell wall.
The...
6.5K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

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