low-cost-polyethylene-terephthalate-lamination-microfluidics-designs

Low-cost Polyethylene Terephthalate Lamination Microfluidics Designs for Multiplexed Zebrafish Imaging

Zebrafish embryos are transparent and thus uniquely suited for noninvasive intravital imaging of fundamental processes, such as wound healing and immune ...

Purdue University

Cell spreading and migration play central roles in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. We have previously shown that MFN2 regulates the migration of human neutrophil-like cells via suppressing Rac activation. Here, we show that in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, MFN2 suppresses RhoA activation and supports cell polarization. After initial spreading, the wild-type cells polarize and migrate, whereas the  cells maintain a circular shape. Increased cytosolic Ca resulting from the loss of Mfn2 is directly responsible for this phenotype, which can be rescued by expressing an artificial tether to bring mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum to close vicinity. Elevated cytosolic Ca activates Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, RhoA, and myosin light-chain kinase, causing an overactivation of nonmuscle myosin II, leading to a formation of a prominent F-actin ring at the cell periphery and increased cell contractility. The peripheral actin band alters cell physics and is dependent on substrate rigidity. Our results provide a novel molecular basis to understand how MFN2 regulates distinct signaling pathways in different cells and tissue environments, which is instrumental in understanding and treating MFN2-related diseases.

Shelly Tan

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