Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Ciliary Motion

Mechanism of Ciliary Motion

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...

Mechanical Protein Functions

Mechanical Protein Functions

Proteins perform many mechanical functions in a cell. These proteins can be classified into two general categories- proteins that generate mechanical forces and proteins that are subjected to mechanical forces. Proteins providing mechanical support to the structure of the cell, such as keratin, are subjected to mechanical force, whereas proteins involved in cell movement and transport of molecules across cell membranes, such as an ion pump, are examples of generating mechanical force.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Preconception and first-trimester metformin for improving pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026

Same author

Coordinating Fertility Preservation in Children and Young Adults at Risk of Treatment-Induced Infertility: A Commentary.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2026

Same author

Association of Angiography-Derived Coronary Microvascular Parameters with Periprocedural Myocardial Injury in Uncomplicated Elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same author

Trauma, distress, and resilience among Ukrainian migrants: mental health and cultural contexts in Europe.

European journal of public health·2026

Same author

Pinch-mediated signaling controls myelination and remyelination in the peripheral nervous system.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026

Same author

Neuronal ARHGAP8 controls synapse structure and AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission.

Communications biology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Published on: April 13, 2017

Mechanical actuators in microglia dynamics and function.

Pedro Melo¹, Renato Socodato¹, Mariana S Silveira²

¹Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.

European Journal of Cell Biology

|June 12, 2022

Summary

Microglia, the central nervous system's immune cells, dynamically change shape via their cytoskeleton. Understanding these changes is key to their function in health and disease.

Keywords:

Actin cytoskeleton dynamics Cortical tension Intracellular signal topography Microglial function Morphology Non-muscle myosin II motors

More Related Videos

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

Published on: May 11, 2015

Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates

Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates

Published on: January 30, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Published on: April 13, 2017

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma

Published on: May 11, 2015

Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates

Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates

Published on: January 30, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Immunology
Cell Biology

Background:

Microglia are the primary immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS).
In a healthy CNS, microglia constantly monitor their environment by extending and retracting membrane protrusions.
Upon brain injury or neurodegeneration, microglia transform into an immune effector state, releasing inflammatory mediators to restore homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the biophysical mechanisms governing microglial morphological changes.
To investigate the role of the actin and non-muscle myosin II cytoskeleton in microglial shape dynamics.
To understand how cytoskeletal organization influences microglial functional specialization in health and disease.

Main Methods:

Review of recent studies on microglial cytoskeleton.
Analysis of biophysical principles of cell shape dynamics.
Discussion of subcellular topological patterning of actin and myosin.

Main Results:

The actin and non-muscle myosin II cytoskeleton are crucial for microglial shape changes.
Subcellular topological patterning of the cytoskeleton can control microglial cell shape dynamics.
Cytoskeletal organization may feedback on microglial functional specialization.

Conclusions:

The cytoskeleton plays a pivotal role in regulating microglial morphology and function.
Understanding these cytoskeletal dynamics is essential for deciphering microglial roles in CNS homeostasis and disease.
Further research into cytoskeletal patterning can illuminate therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.