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Updated: Feb 12, 2026
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Imaging G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Chemotaxis and its Signaling Events in Neutrophil-like HL60 Cells
Published on: September 14, 2016
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Two ways to move together: Force coordination in collective chemotaxis
Jessica L Pacheco1,2,3, Erica J Hutchins1,2,3
1Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
The Journal of Cell Biology
|February 11, 2026
Summary
Neural crest cells use a unique junction-centered strategy for directed migration, distinct from typical mesenchymal movement. This epithelial-like approach internally redistributes forces for collective chemotaxis.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Collective cell migration is crucial for development and disease.
- Mesenchymal models emphasize peripheral polarity and external force generation.
- Neural crest cells exhibit collective migration but their strategy is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism of directed chemotaxis in epithelial-like neural crest clusters.
- To contrast the migration strategy of neural crest clusters with mesenchymal models.
- To elucidate the role of cell junctions in collective cell migration.
Main Methods:
- Live imaging of neural crest cell clusters.
- Analysis of cell polarity, contractility, and traction forces.
- Computational modeling of cell migration dynamics.
Main Results:
- Neural crest clusters employ a junction-centered strategy for chemotaxis.
- Polarity, contractility, and traction forces are redistributed internally around cell junctions.
- This differs from peripheral force generation seen in mesenchymal migration.
Conclusions:
- Epithelial-like neural crest clusters utilize an internal, junction-centered mechanism for directed collective migration.
- This finding challenges the universal applicability of mesenchymal models for collective chemotaxis.
- Understanding this mechanism provides new insights into developmental cell movements.
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