Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Identification of Kinesin-1 Cargos Using Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: February 14, 2016
The kinesin Kif21b regulates radial migration of cortical projection neurons through a non-canonical function on
José Rivera Alvarez1, Laure Asselin1, Peggy Tilly1
1Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC, 67404 Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS, UMR7104, 67404 Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM, U1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
Abstract:
Completion of neuronal migration is critical for brain development. Kif21b is a plus-end-directed kinesin motor protein that promotes intracellular transport and controls microtubule dynamics in neurons. Here we report a physiological function of Kif21b during radial migration of projection neurons in the mouse developing cortex. In vivo analysis in mouse and live imaging on cultured slices demonstrate that Kif21b regulates the radial glia-guided locomotion of newborn neurons independently of its motility on microtubules. We show that Kif21b directly binds and regulates the actin cytoskeleton both in vitro and in vivo in migratory neurons. We establish that Kif21b-mediated regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics influences branching and nucleokinesis during neuronal locomotion. Altogether, our results reveal atypical roles of Kif21b on the actin cytoskeleton during migration of cortical projection neurons.
Related Concept Videos
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction....
Microtubules in Cell Motility
Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate....

