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

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins01:21

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

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 proteins that...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

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...
Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

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.
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Arachidonic acid availability controls neutrophil swarm initiation and scaling.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Many Cells Make Light Work: Self-Generated Gradients Organize <i>Dictyostelium</i> Aggregates and Neutrophil Swarms.

Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology·2026
Same author

Class-I myosin responds to changes in membrane tension during clathrin-mediated endocytosis in human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Class-I myosin responds to changes in membrane tension during clathrin-mediated endocytosis in human induced pluripotent stem cells.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

S1P induces bleb-based T cell motility via S1PR1-dependent activation of RhoA and WNK1.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

A mechanical origin for implantation defects in embryos from aged females.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Learning from stem cell-based embryo models.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same journal

Why the temporal dimension matters in cellular signalling.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same journal

Transcription factor condensates as storage.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same journal

Author Correction: Spatial regulation of VEGF receptor endocytosis in angiogenesis.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same journal

Mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites as hubs where mitochondria acquire iron.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same journal

Cis and trans regulatory mechanisms of extrachromosomal DNA segregation.

Nature cell biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay
09:58

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay

Published on: August 22, 2010

Long-range mutual activation establishes Rho and Rac polarity during cell migration.

Henry De Belly1,2,3, Andreu F Gallén4, Evelyn Strickland5,6,7

  • 1Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Henry.DeBelly@UTSouthwestern.edu.

Nature Cell Biology
|June 10, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell migration relies on Rac and Rho GTPases. This study reveals a long-range activation mechanism between cell front and back, ensuring proper cell polarity and movement, crucial for T cells and epithelial cells.

More Related Videos

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
10:37

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

Published on: October 8, 2015

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling
10:03

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling

Published on: December 12, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay
09:58

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay

Published on: August 22, 2010

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
10:37

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

Published on: October 8, 2015

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling
10:03

Rapid and Robust Analysis of Cellular and Molecular Polarization Induced by Chemokine Signaling

Published on: December 12, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Mechanobiology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell migration requires spatial organization of GTPases Rac and Rho.
  • Rac typically drives cell protrusion at the front, while Rho mediates contraction at the back.
  • The mechanisms positioning these GTPases at opposite cell poles are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the long-range communication mechanisms governing Rac and Rho GTPase localization.
  • To understand how these GTPases establish and maintain cell polarity during migration.
  • To investigate the interplay between mechanical forces and biochemical signaling in cell patterning.

Main Methods:

  • Optogenetics to control GTPase activity.
  • Mechanical perturbations to probe cellular responses.
  • Mathematical modeling to simulate and explain observed phenomena.
  • Analysis of phosphoinositide signaling and membrane tension.

Main Results:

  • A novel long-range mutual activation mechanism between Rac and Rho polarity programs was discovered.
  • Rac-driven protrusions increase membrane tension, activating Rho at the cell rear via mTORC2.
  • Rho-mediated contractility triggers Rac activation at the front through cortical flow and phosphoinositide signaling.
  • A minimal model demonstrated how long-range facilitation and local inhibition ensure robust Rho-Rac partitioning.

Conclusions:

  • The actin cortex and plasma membrane form an integrated mechanochemical system for long-range Rac-Rho patterning.
  • This regulatory circuit is essential for efficient cell polarity and migration in human T cells.
  • The identified mechanism is conserved across different cell types, including epithelial cells, suggesting broad biological relevance.