Cell Migration
Cell Migration - Related Videos
08:52
An Introduction to Cell Motility and Migration
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2023
Cell motility and migration play important roles in both normal biology and in disease. On one hand, migration allows cells to generate complex tissues and organs during development, but on the other hand, the same mechanisms are used by tumor cells to move and spread in a process known as cancer metastasis. One of the primary cellular machineries that make cell movement possible is an intracellular network of myosin and actin molecules, together known as “actomyosin”, which creates a...
09:36
Study of Cell Migration in Microfabricated Channels
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Cited by 43 •
2014
A quantitative method to study spontaneous migration of cells in a one-dimensional confined microenvironment is described. This method takes advantage of microfabricated channels and can be used to study migration of large number of cells under different conditions in single experiments.
09:55
In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays
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Cited by 627 •
2014
Commonly used, highly accessible methods for examining cell migration and invasion in vitro are described. The first method is the cell wound closure assay that measures cell motility. The second method is the transwell migration and invasion assay that assesses the chemotactic and invasive capacity of cells.
01:09
Cell Migration
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2025
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. General Mechanism Generally, cellular migration begins when a cell, such as a fibroblast, responds to an...
07:33
A Customizable Chamber for Measuring Cell Migration
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Cited by 2 •
2017
This protocol details a customizable method to measure cell migration in response to chemoattractants that may also be used to determine the diffusion rate of a drug out of a polymer matrix.
FAQs
Cells detect chemical or physical signals in their surroundings and adjust movement accordingly. These cues help establish the direction of travel rather than merely increasing activity throughout the cell. By linking environmental sensing to protrusion formation, adhesion, and force generation, the cell coordinates movement with tissue organization, repair needs, or immune surveillance.
Actin-rich protrusions extend the front of a migrating cell, while adhesion proteins connect that region to the surrounding extracellular matrix. These attachments provide traction for forward movement. Contractile forces then pull the cell ahead, and older adhesions release so the rear can follow. Disruption at any stage can alter the efficiency or direction of migration.
Forward movement depends on a repeating sequence rather than on force alone. New protrusions explore the environment, adhesion proteins stabilize useful contacts, and contractile forces pull the cell toward those contacts. Releasing older attachments prevents the cell from remaining anchored behind. Coordination allows cells to move through tissues while responding to changing local cues.
Migration assays provide a way to investigate how cells respond to their environment and how their movement is regulated. They can support studies of normal cell behavior as well as abnormal migration linked to inflammation, developmental disorders, and cancer metastasis. The resulting observations may also help researchers evaluate potential therapeutic strategies aimed at altering migration.
Directed movement contributes to embryonic development, wound healing, immune surveillance, and tissue repair. In each setting, migration helps cells reach locations where they organize developing tissues, restore damaged areas, monitor the organism, or maintain tissue function. Studying these contexts shows why the same basic movement machinery has broad significance across biology.
Migration must occur in appropriate locations and patterns to support normal tissue function. When regulation becomes abnormal, cell movement can be associated with inflammation, developmental disorders, or cancer metastasis. Comparing regulated and abnormal behavior helps researchers connect migration mechanisms with disease-related outcomes and identify questions for potential therapies without treating movement as an isolated cellular event.