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

Introduction to Fibroblasts01:09

Introduction to Fibroblasts

3.3K
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...
3.3K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

2.8K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
2.8K
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion01:05

Mechanism of Ciliary Motion

4.0K
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
4.0K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

2.6K
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...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

MRI-compatible soft fiber bioelectronics for multimodal assessment of electrical neural stimulation on whole-brain activation.

National science review·2026
Same author

Atomic-scale mechanism of anisotropic ion migration in 2D Bi<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>Se nanodevices.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Tailoring instruction to personality: The mediating role of cognitive tendencies in the effect of extraversion on higher vocational college students' self-regulated learning.

Acta psychologica·2026
Same author

Machine Learning-Guided High-Efficiency and Thermally Stable Capacitive Energy Storage in Dielectric Capacitors With a Simple Chemical Composition.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of 14-3-3 genes in Paulownia fortunei under abiotic and biotic stresses.

BMC plant biology·2026
Same author

Spatiotemporal characterization of placental hypoxia and microvascular dysfunction in a preeclampsia rat model using photoacoustic and contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 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

8.1K

Zyxin Is Involved in Fibroblast Rigidity Sensing and Durotaxis.

Ai Kia Yip1, Songjing Zhang2, Lor Huai Chong1,3

  • 1Bioinformatics Institute ASTAR, Singapore, Singapore.

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|December 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Zyxin is crucial for cells to sense matrix rigidity and perform durotaxis. Knocking down zyxin impairs focal adhesion size, cell stress, and actin organization, hindering directional cell migration.

Keywords:
durotaxisfocal adhesionmechanotransductionrigidity sensingzyxin

More Related Videos

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

8.3K
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

1.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 11, 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

8.1K
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

8.3K
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

1.5K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Mechanobiology

Background:

  • Focal adhesions (FAs) link the cell to the extracellular matrix, sensing rigidity.
  • Durotaxis describes cell migration towards stiffer environments.
  • The molecular mechanisms of durotaxis and FA involvement are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of zyxin in focal adhesions.
  • To determine zyxin's function in cellular rigidity sensing and durotaxis.
  • To elucidate how zyxin influences cell migration in response to substrate stiffness.

Main Methods:

  • Zyxin knockdown in NIH3T3 fibroblasts.
  • Analysis of focal adhesion size, cell traction stress, and F-actin organization.
  • Assessment of cell migration speed and directionality on substrates with varying rigidity gradients.

Main Results:

  • Zyxin knockdown impaired NIH3T3 fibroblasts' ability to sense matrix rigidity.
  • Loss of zyxin disrupted focal adhesion size, cell traction stress, and F-actin organization.
  • Zyxin knockdown fibroblasts exhibited migration independent of substrate rigidity and failed to show durotaxis.

Conclusions:

  • Zyxin is essential for cellular rigidity sensing and durotaxis.
  • Zyxin modulates focal adhesion size, cell traction stress, and F-actin organization.
  • Zyxin plays a critical role in guiding cell migration based on substrate stiffness.