Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
07:27
Quantitative Analysis of Random Migration of Cells Using Time-lapse Video Microscopy
Published on: May 13, 2012
17.2K
Cell migration: How animal cells run and tumble.
1Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
Current Biology : CB
|September 23, 2025
Summary
Zebrafish germ cells exhibit speed oscillations during chemotactic migration. A newly identified molecular circuit controls their movement patterns, enabling straight runs, tumbling, and reorientation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Cell migration is crucial for development and disease.
- Chemotaxis guides cells using chemical signals.
- Oscillatory speed is observed in migrating animal cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing zebrafish germ cell migration.
- To identify the circuit controlling directional changes and speed oscillations.
Main Methods:
- Live imaging of zebrafish embryos.
- Genetic manipulation to study gene function.
- Computational analysis of cell trajectories.
Main Results:
- A specific molecular circuit was identified in zebrafish germ cells.
- This circuit mediates transitions between migration modes.
- Observed oscillations correlate with changes in cell speed and direction.
Conclusions:
- The identified molecular circuit provides a framework for understanding directed cell migration.
- This mechanism allows germ cells to navigate complex environments effectively.
- Findings offer insights into the regulation of cell speed and reorientation during chemotaxis.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Cell Migration
18.6K
Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
18.6K
01:19Cell Migration
6.4K
Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
6.4K
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
5.4K
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...
5.4K
01:18Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
3.2K
Myosins are multimeric motor proteins involved in various cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Myosin II is the most common type in animal cells, which binds and cross-links actin filaments.
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....
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....
3.2K
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
3.6K
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...
3.6K
01:16Cell Motility through Blebbing
2.4K
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...
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.4K