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

Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

2.2K
Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.2K
Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins01:21

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

3.3K
Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
3.3K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

2.8K
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...
2.8K
Introduction to Fibroblasts01:09

Introduction to Fibroblasts

3.6K
Rudolph Virchow discovered spindle-shaped cells called fibroblasts in 1858. Inactive fibroblasts, called fibrocytes, become activated by various stimuli, such as growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Activated fibroblasts play a crucial role in wound healing, inflammation, formation of new blood vessels, and cancer progression. Uncontrolled activation of fibroblasts results in fibrosis, the excess deposition of fibrous tissue, which can lead to scarring and affect normal organs. This...
3.6K
Polarity of the Cytoskeleton01:18

Polarity of the Cytoskeleton

22.8K
The intrinsic polarity of cells can be primarily attributed to two factors- i) the asymmetric accumulation of mobile components such are regulatory molecules and subcellular components across the cell and ii) the orientation of polar cytoskeletal filaments that make up the cytoskeletal networks, specifically microfilaments, and microtubules arranged along the axis of polarity. Interactions between the cytoskeletal filaments are crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the polar nature...
22.8K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

5.2K
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...
5.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

In Vitro Susceptibility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus to Ceftaroline: A Prospective Observational Study From a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India.

Cureus·2026
Same author

Assessment of Medicare Advantage Stars Measures: Impact on Kidney Care Quality and Future Opportunities.

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN·2026
Same author

Biofilm formation by Histophilus somni on 3D bovine respiratory tissue cultures.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Common Bile Duct Hydatid Presenting as Choledocholithiasis.

Indian journal of pediatrics·2026
Same author

Mezigdomide reverses T-cell exhaustion through degradation of IKZF1/IKZF3 and reinvigoration of cytokine production pathways.

Blood·2026
Same author

An Observational Study to Identify Various Prognostic Factors in Spinal Metastatic Disease in Northern India.

Asian journal of neurosurgery·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Single Cell Durotaxis Assay for Assessing Mechanical Control of Cellular Movement and Related Signaling Events
08:30

Single Cell Durotaxis Assay for Assessing Mechanical Control of Cellular Movement and Related Signaling Events

Published on: August 27, 2019

8.2K

Opposing Rigidity-Protein Gradients Reverse Fibroblast Durotaxis.

Gaurav Jain1, Andrew J Ford2, Padmavathy Rajagopalan3

  • 1School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, §Department of Chemical Engineering, and ⊥ICTAS Center for Systems Biology of Engineered Tissues, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States.

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|January 13, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Researchers created hydrogel substrates with opposing rigidity and collagen gradients to study cell migration. Cells migrated towards softer regions when collagen concentration increased, revealing complex responses to multiple environmental cues.

Keywords:
cell migrationdirected migrationdurotaxishaptotaxis

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos
12:35

Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 14, 2023

1.6K
A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
09:50

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

8.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Single Cell Durotaxis Assay for Assessing Mechanical Control of Cellular Movement and Related Signaling Events
08:30

Single Cell Durotaxis Assay for Assessing Mechanical Control of Cellular Movement and Related Signaling Events

Published on: August 27, 2019

8.2K
Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos
12:35

Author Spotlight: Optogenetic Inhibition of Rho1-Mediated Actomyosin Contractility Coupled with Measurement of Epithelial Tension in Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 14, 2023

1.6K
A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
09:50

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

8.5K

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials science
  • Cell biology
  • Tissue engineering

Background:

  • Cell migration is a complex process influenced by multiple simultaneous stimuli in vivo.
  • Understanding how cells respond to combinatorial signaling is crucial for designing biomaterials.
  • Biomaterials can be engineered to mimic the in vivo microenvironment's cues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and fabricate hydrogel substrates with opposing rigidity and collagen gradients.
  • To investigate how cells respond to simultaneous gradients of substrate modulus and surface-bound collagen.
  • To determine how combined cues influence cell migratory behavior, speed, and directionality.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of hydrogel substrates with decreasing elastic modulus and increasing collagen concentration across an interface.
  • Validation of fibroblast durotaxis on uniform substrates.
  • Analysis of cell migration, displacement, area, cytoskeleton, and focal adhesions on gradient substrates.

Main Results:

  • Fibroblasts exhibited durotaxis on substrates with only rigidity gradients.
  • Cells showed directed migration towards softer regions when collagen concentration increased on low-modulus areas.
  • This chemoattraction towards softer substrates was more pronounced with a 7-fold increase in collagen concentration.
  • Cellular features like cytoskeleton and focal adhesions were influenced by both elastic modulus and protein concentration.

Conclusions:

  • Hydrogel substrates with opposing rigidity and collagen gradients can effectively modulate cell migration.
  • Cells can integrate multiple cues, with collagen concentration influencing migration directionality on soft substrates.
  • Further research incorporating multiple gradients will enhance understanding of in vivo cell navigation.