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

5.2K
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....
5.2K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

2.3K
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...
2.3K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

2.5K
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...
2.5K
Actin Polymerization01:42

Actin Polymerization

6.5K
Actin polymerization occurs through the head-to-tail association of binding sites on monomeric actin or G-actin to form filamentous or F-actin. The polymerization can be divided into three phases ̶  nucleation, elongation, and steady-state phase.
The nucleation phase involves forming a stable nucleus consisting of three actin monomers to form a new actin filament. Actin-binding proteins such as formins and Arp2/3 complex help filament growth post-nucleation. The Formins form straight...
6.5K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

1.9K
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...
1.9K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

4.7K
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...
4.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Sequence-encoded conformational biases correlate with self-assembly modes of intrinsically disordered proteins.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same author

Deep learning-enabled discovery of antibiotics effective against <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i>.

Science translational medicine·2026
Same author

Focused ultrasound in veterinary medicine.

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2026
Same author

OptoTAT reveals microtubule acetylation as a rapid trigger for GEF-H1-mediated cell migration.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Membrane Kymograph Generator: A cross-platform GUI software for automated generation and analysis of kymographs along dynamic cell boundaries.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

FATE-MAP predicts teratogenicity and human gastrulation failure modes by integrating deep learning and mechanistic modeling.

Nature communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins
08:40

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Published on: October 28, 2022

1.7K

Synthetic control of actin polymerization and symmetry breaking in active protocells.

Shiva Razavi1,2, Felix Wong3,4, Bedri Abubaker-Sharif1,2

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

Science Advances
|June 12, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Scientists created a simple cell-like system to study how actin polymerization drives membrane shape changes. This research offers insights into cell movement and organization, crucial for understanding biological processes.

More Related Videos

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics
09:10

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Published on: August 25, 2022

3.3K
Self-Assembly of Microtubule Tactoids
08:49

Self-Assembly of Microtubule Tactoids

Published on: June 23, 2022

3.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins
08:40

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Published on: October 28, 2022

1.7K
Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics
09:10

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Published on: August 25, 2022

3.3K
Self-Assembly of Microtubule Tactoids
08:49

Self-Assembly of Microtubule Tactoids

Published on: June 23, 2022

3.8K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Nonlinear biomolecular interactions on cell membranes are essential for cellular processes like chemotaxis, cytokinesis, and endocytosis.
  • Understanding the physical principles of membrane mechanics is challenging due to complex interactions, redundancy, and spatiotemporal factors.
  • Developing minimal in vitro systems that mimic cellular signaling and membrane remodeling with physiological fidelity remains a significant hurdle.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconstruct a minimal in vitro system that mimics chemically regulated actin polymerization and membrane remodeling.
  • To investigate the physical principles governing membrane mechanics and self-organization in response to external chemical cues.
  • To elucidate the interplay between actin dynamics and membrane shape changes during symmetry breaking.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstruction of chemically regulated actin polymerization within vesicles.
  • Application of external, undirected chemical inputs to induce directed actin polymerization and membrane deformation.
  • Development of a biophysical model integrating actin dynamics and membrane mechanics.

Main Results:

  • An external chemical input triggered directed actin polymerization and membrane deformation, independent of upstream biochemical signals, indicating symmetry breaking.
  • Experimental findings were consistent with a biophysical model predicting nonlinear membrane deformations due to uneven actin distributions.
  • The protocellular system demonstrated self-organization guided by actin polymerization.

Conclusions:

  • The study illuminates the critical interplay between actin dynamics and membrane shape changes during symmetry breaking.
  • The findings provide insights into the physical mechanisms underlying chemotaxis and other cell biological processes.
  • The developed protocellular system serves as a valuable tool for studying fundamental cell biological phenomena.