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Related Concept Videos

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Related Experiment Videos

Dynamic microtubules drive fibroblast spreading.

Anna Tvorogova1, Aleena Saidova2, Tatiana Smirnova2

  • 1Department of Electron Microscopy, A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, M.V. Lomonosov State University, 1-40 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia.

Biology Open
|December 15, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Cell spreading involves dynamic microtubules and actin polymerization, with microtubules temporarily inhibiting myosin II for rapid, isotropic spreading in fibroblasts and cancer cells.

Keywords:
Cell spreadingCytoskeletonMicrotubule dynamicsMyosin II

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Mesenchymal cells adhere to substrates and spread via lamellipodia formation.
  • Cell spreading is a complex process influenced by cytoskeletal dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the kinetics and mechanisms of cell spreading in fibroblasts and cancer cells.
  • To investigate the roles of actin polymerization, microtubules, and myosin II in cell spreading.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a label-free approach and virtual synchronization to analyze cell spreading.
  • Employed inhibitors to study the effects of actin polymerization, microtubule dynamics, and myosin II activity.

Main Results:

  • Cell spreading occurs in fast (5-20 min) and slow (30-120 min) phases, exhibiting isotropic or anisotropic modes.
  • Fast spreading depends on actin polymerization and dynamic microtubules; microtubule inhibition slowed spreading.
  • Myosin II inhibition restored fast spreading with stable microtubules, but only partially with inhibited actin or microtubules.

Conclusions:

  • Rapid microtubule growth at cell margins temporarily inhibits myosin II phosphorylation, crucial for fast isotropic spreading.
  • Similar spreading kinetics and mechanisms observed in fibroblasts and cancer cells highlight the critical role of dynamic microtubules.