Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
04:17
Nuclear Migration in the Drosophila Oocyte
Published on: May 13, 2021
4.5K
APLP2 Modulates JNK-Dependent Cell Migration in Drosophila
Xingjun Wang1,2, Xiaowei Guo1, Yeqing Ma1
1Department of Interventional Radiology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
Biomed Research International
|August 30, 2018
Summary
Amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) drives cell migration in Drosophila by activating JNK signaling. This pathway increases MMP1 expression, degrading the basement membrane and promoting cell movement.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Cell biology
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) is expressed in human cells and implicated in cancer.
- The precise function of APLP2 in regulating cell migration is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of APLP2 in cell migration.
- To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of APLP2-mediated cell migration.
Main Methods:
- Ectopic expression of APLP2 in Drosophila.
- Analysis of JNK signaling pathway activation.
- Assessment of matrix metalloproteinase MMP1 expression.
Main Results:
- Ectopic APLP2 expression in Drosophila induces cell migration.
- JNK signaling pathway mediates APLP2-induced cell migration; JNK loss suppresses, while JNK gain enhances migration.
- APLP2 activates JNK signaling via phosphorylation, leading to MMP1 expression and basement membrane degradation.
Conclusions:
- APLP2 plays a significant role in promoting cell migration.
- The JNK signaling pathway is a key mediator of APLP2's function in cell migration.
- APLP2's activation of JNK signaling and subsequent MMP1 expression provides a mechanism for basement membrane degradation and enhanced cell motility.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Cell Migration
6.6K
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.
6.6K
01:09Cell Migration
18.8K
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.
18.8K
01:35Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
3.3K
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,...
3.3K
01:21Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration
4.9K
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...
4.9K
01:18Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
3.4K
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....
3.4K
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
5.6K
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...
5.6K