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Membrane Flow Drives an Adhesion-Independent Amoeboid Cell Migration Mode
Patrick R O'Neill1, Jean A Castillo-Badillo1, Xenia Meshik1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Developmental Cell
|June 26, 2018
Summary
Amoeboid cell migration in liquid relies on rearward membrane flow and trafficking, not substrate adhesions. This mechanism propels cells forward via viscous forces, crucial for immune response and metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Amoeboid cell migration is vital for immune responses and cancer metastasis.
- The mechanism of force generation in amoeboid migration, unlike mesenchymal migration, remains poorly understood due to the lack of cell-substrate adhesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism of force generation and propulsion in amoeboid cell migration.
- To compare amoeboid migration with lamellipodia-driven migration using optogenetically controlled models.
Main Methods:
- Development of optogenetically controlled models for lamellipodia-driven and amoeboid migration.
- Comparative analysis of cell migration speeds and membrane dynamics on 2D surfaces and in liquid suspension.
- Utilizing genetic and pharmacological perturbations to assess the role of membrane trafficking.
Main Results:
- In liquid, amoeboid cells showed rapid migration with significant rearward membrane flow, unlike on 2D surfaces.
- Increased endocytosis at the rear and polarized membrane trafficking from rear to front were observed in migrating amoeboid cells.
- Perturbation of this membrane trafficking significantly inhibited cell migration.
- Observed migration speeds correlated with a model based on viscous forces at the cell-liquid interface.
Conclusions:
- Amoeboid cell migration in liquid is driven by viscous forces generated by rearward membrane flow and polarized trafficking.
- This mechanism is independent of specific cell-substrate interactions, enabling migration in diverse microenvironments.
- The findings provide insights into cell motility during immune surveillance and cancer metastasis.
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