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

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

5.6K
Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate....
5.6K
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

2.9K
The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
2.9K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

2.0K
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...
2.0K
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

3.7K
Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They  are held...
3.7K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

2.8K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
2.8K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

2.5K
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...
2.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Perinuclear actin airbag protects the nucleus from shock.

Biophysical journal·2026
Same author

A synthetic cell microreactor with two types of interacting dynamic DNA-based pores.

Nature chemistry·2026
Same author

Cytoplasmic abundant heat-soluble proteins from tardigrades protect synthetic cells under stress.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Dynamic heterogeneity in an E. coli stress response regulon mediates gene activation and antimicrobial peptide tolerance.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

pH-responsive synthetic cells for controlled protein synthesis and release.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Strategies and applications of synthetic cell communication.

Nature chemical biology·2025
Same journal

Bioactive carbon dots from peony seed meal for nanomedicine via circular economy.

iScience·2026
Same journal

Genetic ablation of <i>Sfxn5</i> induces mitochondrial dysfunction and precipitates lethal metabolic crisis in mice.

iScience·2026
Same journal

Expansion, functional diversification, and gene fusion events in the Ato protein family.

iScience·2026
Same journal

The pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-α and TNF-α inhibit organoid-derived extravillous trophoblast invasion.

iScience·2026
Same journal

Urbanization compound pathways of global lung cancer incidence risk under proximal and distal interactions.

iScience·2026
Same journal

Capsid and integrase play essential apposing roles in viral ribonucleoprotein assembly during HIV-1 core morphogenesis.

iScience·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 24, 2025

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

880

Encapsulated actomyosin patterns drive cell-like membrane shape changes.

Yashar Bashirzadeh1, Hossein Moghimianavval1, Allen P Liu1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Iscience
|May 6, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell shape is controlled by actin and myosin. Researchers reconstituted these proteins in vesicles, observing ring and aster patterns that deform membranes, revealing principles of cell mechanics.

Keywords:
Biological sciencesCell biologyMechanobiology

More Related Videos

Reconstitution of Membrane-Tethered Minimal Actin Cortices on Supported Lipid Bilayers
11:55

Reconstitution of Membrane-Tethered Minimal Actin Cortices on Supported Lipid Bilayers

Published on: July 12, 2022

2.4K
Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

2.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 24, 2025

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

880
Reconstitution of Membrane-Tethered Minimal Actin Cortices on Supported Lipid Bilayers
11:55

Reconstitution of Membrane-Tethered Minimal Actin Cortices on Supported Lipid Bilayers

Published on: July 12, 2022

2.4K
Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

2.3K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cellular shape dynamics, crucial for processes like locomotion and division, are primarily governed by myosin-driven remodeling of cortical actin networks.
  • Actin network architecture, which dictates membrane shape changes, is significantly influenced by passive crosslinkers like alpha-actinin and fascin, and the actin nucleator Arp2/3 complex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the self-assembly dynamics of actomyosin networks within a simplified, cell-sized environment.
  • To understand how varying concentrations of key proteins and vesicle size influence the resulting network architecture and membrane deformation.
  • To explore the role of membrane anchoring in modulating actomyosin-driven forces and shape changes.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstitution of actomyosin networks within cell-sized lipid bilayer vesicles.
  • Systematic variation of vesicle size and concentrations of alpha-actinin, fascin, and Arp2/3 complex.
  • Observation and analysis of actin network patterns (ring, aster) and induced membrane deformations.
  • Application of active gel theory to model observed phenomena.

Main Results:

  • Actomyosin networks self-assembled into distinct ring and aster-like patterns, dependent on vesicle size and protein concentrations.
  • Anchoring actin networks to the membrane did not alter network architecture but induced forces and deformation when organized as a contractile ring.
  • In the presence of alpha-actinin and fascin, an Arp2/3 complex-mediated cortex formed equatorial ring patterns, leading to myosin-driven clustering, blebbing, and membrane deformation.

Conclusions:

  • The study successfully reconstituted and characterized actomyosin network assembly in a minimal system, mimicking cellular cortex behavior.
  • Findings demonstrate that specific protein compositions and physical constraints (vesicle size, membrane anchoring) dictate the emergent organization and force-exerting capabilities of the actomyosin cortex.
  • The developed active gel theory provides a unified framework for understanding the relationship between actomyosin network architecture and membrane shape changes during cellular processes.