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

6.4K
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....
6.4K
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Adaptability of Cytoskeletal Filaments01:12

Adaptability of Cytoskeletal Filaments

5.6K
The cytoskeleton is a complex dynamic structure performing varied functions based on cellular requirements. The adaptability of the individual filaments in the cytoskeleton determines their ability to perform various functions within the cell. It can undergo rapid reorganization during processes like cell division or remain stable for several hours as in the interphase. The adaptability of these filaments depends on stringent regulatory mechanisms. The microfilament and microtubules of the...
5.6K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell 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...
2.4K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

3.5K
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...
3.5K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal 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

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Multi-phase field model reveals internal dissipation is crucial for spontaneous hole formation in cell monolayers.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Mesoscale modelling of starch digestion.

Molecular physics·2026
Same author

Shape, confinement and inertia effects on the dynamics of a driven spheroid in a viscous fluid.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Distributed neural computation and the evolution of the first brains.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Channel Flows of Deformable Nematics.

Physical review letters·2025
Same author

Active sorting to boundaries in active nematic-passive isotropic fluid mixtures.

Soft matter·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Controlling Flow Speeds of Microtubule-Based 3D Active Fluids Using Temperature
08:04

Controlling Flow Speeds of Microtubule-Based 3D Active Fluids Using Temperature

Published on: November 26, 2019

7.5K

Cellular dynamics emerging from turbulent flows steered by active filaments.

Mehrana R Nejad1,2, Julia M Yeomans3, Sumesh P Thampi3,4

  • 1Harvard University, Department of Physics, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.

Physical Review. E
|November 18, 2025
PubMed
Summary

We present a continuum theory for deformable epithelial cells, revealing how active filaments drive flows, create nematic domains, and influence cell alignment. This model explains defect motion in contractile cell layers, matching experimental findings.

More Related Videos

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics
08:37

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Published on: January 13, 2023

3.1K
In Vitro Reconstitution of the Actin Cytoskeleton Inside Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
10:19

In Vitro Reconstitution of the Actin Cytoskeleton Inside Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: August 25, 2022

4.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Controlling Flow Speeds of Microtubule-Based 3D Active Fluids Using Temperature
08:04

Controlling Flow Speeds of Microtubule-Based 3D Active Fluids Using Temperature

Published on: November 26, 2019

7.5K
Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics
08:37

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Published on: January 13, 2023

3.1K
In Vitro Reconstitution of the Actin Cytoskeleton Inside Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
10:19

In Vitro Reconstitution of the Actin Cytoskeleton Inside Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: August 25, 2022

4.1K

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Biophysics
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Epithelial cells exhibit complex collective dynamics driven by internal active filaments.
  • Understanding cell shape and filament organization is crucial for tissue development and function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a continuum theory describing the collective dynamics of deformable epithelial cells.
  • To elucidate the role of active filaments and their rheological properties in generating cellular patterns and topological defects.
  • To explain experimental observations of cell alignment and defect motion in epithelial layers.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a continuum theory incorporating active filaments and cell shape fields.
  • Analysis of the filament flow-aligning parameter (λQ) and its impact on active flows.
  • Distinguishing between filament director field defects and shape director field defects.
  • Theoretical modeling of active turbulent flow fields and defect dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Active flows driven by filaments can generate nematic domains and topological defects.
  • The filament flow-aligning parameter (λQ) significantly influences the patterns of active flows.
  • Increased λQ leads to long-range correlations, causing cell alignment parallel to filaments, consistent with MDCK cell experiments.
  • The theory explains the directed motion of +1/2 defects towards their head in contractile cell layers.

Conclusions:

  • The developed continuum theory accurately describes collective cell behavior and active flows.
  • Filament rheology, particularly λQ, is critical in determining large-scale patterns in cell layers.
  • The theory provides a framework for understanding defect dynamics and their interaction with cell shape and flow.