Name: cell migration in wound healing and cancer
Uploaded: 2024-11-20T17:58:31.000Z
Duration: 1 min 19 s
Channel: JoVE

Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential in the development and viability of organisms throughout their life.
For example, in the case of an injury, the physical trauma to cells induces the release of chemicals like growth factors.
Fibroblasts respond to these external polarizing signals by protruding their membrane in the direction of the signal, called the leading edge.
These protrusions assist the cell in adhering to the extracellular matrix via several focal adhesion points. These points create tensional forces, facilitating the cell&#39;s forward movement.
At the opposite end or trailing edge, localized anti-adhesive signals initiate the retraction of the focal adhesions.
These cyclic adhesion and release events result in directional cell migration, pulling the fibroblast in the direction of injury.
Additionally, the epithelial cells at the injury site follow a collective migration pattern. The cells facing the wound site lead the migration of the rear-end cells to fill up the wound in a coordinated manner, loosely held together by the cell-cell junctions.

cell migration

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. Next, the cell front protrudes, forming new adhesions and generating a pulling force that moves the cell forward. At the opposite end, cell adhesions are released, allowing the rear to be pulled in the direction of migration.
Collective Cell Migration
Collective cell migration plays a key role throughout embryonic development and in maintaining adult tissues. For example, during neurulation, the migration of neural crest cells to the periphery is essential to developing the peripheral nervous system. When a group of cells migrate collectively, the cells at the front of the group, called leader cells, form the protrusions that pull the whole group forward.
These moving cell clusters can be in different forms, such as loose strands, tubes, or sheets. For example, during wound healing, keratinocytes, a major type of epithelial cells, proliferate to form sheets and migrate to cover the injury site, eventually forming scar tissue. In contrast, endothelial cells migrate collectively as strands, rather than sheets, through the newly laid extracellular matrix to develop new blood vessels. The number of cells in these moving clusters can vary greatly, from tens to thousands of cells. The distance these groups migrate also varies, ranging from a few microns to as much as a few centimeters.
Cell Migration and Cancer
Cancerous cells hijack the ability of cells to move from one location to another. Benign tumor cells lack this property and thus proliferate to form the tumor only at the primary location. However, metastatic cells can migrate away from the primary location by producing special membrane protrusions called invadopodia. These protrusions help the cancerous cells to break down the tissue barrier as they migrate and invade other tissues at a secondary location.

Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and ...

Education

JoVE Core

Cell Biology

Unit 1

Cell Polarization and Migration

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

cell migration in wound healing and cancer

Cell migration is the movement of cells from one place to another. It is important in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells respond to chemical signals or mechanical signals from specific organs or tissues.

The movement process has three main steps: polarization, protrusion, and release. During polarization, the cell forms a clear front and rear, which sets the direction of movement. Then the front protrudes, forms new adhesions, and creates a pulling force that moves the cell forward. At the rear, adhesions are released so the back of the cell can follow.

Cells can also migrate together as a group. This collective cell migration is important in embryonic development and in adult tissues. During neurulation, neural crest cells move to the periphery, which is needed to build the peripheral nervous system. In these groups, leader cells at the front make the protrusions that pull the rest of the cells forward.

Collective movement can happen in different forms, including loose strands, tubes, or sheets. During wound healing, keratinocytes, a major epithelial cell type, multiply to form sheets and move across the injury site. This helps close the wound and eventually forms scar tissue. Endothelial cells, by contrast, migrate as strands through newly laid extracellular matrix to help form new blood vessels. These cell clusters can contain tens to thousands of cells and may travel only a few microns or as far as a few centimeters.

Cancer cells can also use cell migration. Benign tumor cells do not leave the primary site, so they only form a tumor there. Metastatic cells can move away from the primary location by making membrane protrusions called invadopodia. These structures help break down tissue barriers and let the cells invade other tissues at a secondary site.

Cell Migration in Wound Healing and Cancer

cell-migration-in-wound-healing-and-cancer

Cell migration is the movement of cells from one place to another. It is important in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells respond to chemical signals or mechanical signals from specific organs or tissues. The movement process has three main steps: polarization, protrusion, and release. During polarization, the cell forms a clear front and rear, which sets the direction of movement. Then the front protrudes, forms new adhesions, and creates...

actin polymerization and cell motility

Actin Filaments in Cell Movement

Actin filaments help cells move, divide, and take in material from outside the cell. Actin is a family of globular proteins that is very abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up about 1 to 5 percent of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers can join together to form a polarized network called the actin cytoskeleton. This network creates pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that support cell migration. Cell movement often follows repeated steps of front-edge protrusion, attachment...

types of membrane protrusions

Cell Surface Protrusions in Movement

Cell surface protrusions help cells move, absorb nutrients, and respond to their surroundings. These extensions form when the cytoskeleton, the cell’s internal support system, rearranges. The most commonly seen protrusions include lamellipodia, pseudopodia, filopodia, microvilli, invadopodia, and podosomes. These protrusions are often grouped as static or dynamic. Microvilli are stable, finger-like projections with a generally stable actin architecture. They are brush-like extensions on the...

mechanism of lamellipodia formation

How Cells Push Forward with Lamellipodia

Cells move forward by building lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions at the leading edge. These structures are supported by a mesh of actin filaments that may be linked, branched, or unbranched. Actin works with myosin motor proteins to form the actomyosin complex in the cytoskeleton, and this complex can generate contractile stress. That contractility helps cells sense the stiffness of the extracellular matrix, or ECM, and apply force during migration. Lamellipodia begin to form...

mechanism of filopodia formation

Filopodia in Cell Movement and Contact

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cell protrusions that help cells move and make contact. They appear in different cell types in different places and lengths. That variation suggests they can support several cell functions. In many cases, filopodia guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis and cancer metastasis. They help cells recognize the extracellular matrix and make their first contact with it. Filopodia can also act as stationary anchors or help two cells communicate. A...

cancer cell migration through invadopodia

cancer-cell-migration-through-invadopodia

How Invadopodia Help Cancer Cells Spread

Invadopodia are cell surface structures that help cancer cells break down the extracellular matrix, or ECM. The ECM is the material outside cells that gives tissues support. Invadopodia are part of a larger group called invadosomes, which also includes structures found in normal cells such as macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons. Macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are both invadosomes, but they are not the same. Podosomes are short-lived and last only a few minutes.

cell motility through blebbing

Blebbing in Cell Movement and Cell Death

Blebbing is a membrane change seen in cell movement and cell death. A bleb is a membrane protrusion that forms when pressure from the cytoplasm pushes the plasma membrane outward. Blebs can appear in fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms such as amoebas. Blebs help cells move through tight spaces in the extracellular matrix, or ECM. In multicellular organisms, migrating cells must squeeze between other cells and through this three-dimensional matrix. Actin-driven protrusions...

role of myosin in cell migration

Myosin Drives Cell Adhesion and Polarity

Myosin is a motor protein that helps cells migrate by building force, strengthening attachments, and setting cell polarity. In animal cells, myosin II is the most common type. It binds and cross-links actin filaments, the protein fibers that help a cell move and change shape. Myosin II is a hexamer, or six-part complex. It has two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, plus two regulatory light chains and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads break...

cell polarization by rho proteins

Rho Proteins in Cell Front and Rear

Cell polarity gives a cell two different sides. This uneven layout is important for embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. In migrating cells, signals from inside or outside the cell trigger pathways that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton and build this polarity. The Rho family proteins Cdc42, Rac, and Rho help control that process. These proteins are small GTPases, which means they act like molecular switches and can shift...

chemotaxis and direction of cell migration

chemotaxis-and-direction-of-cell-migration

How Cells Follow Chemical Gradients

Cells follow chemical gradients by sensing cues in their environment and changing their cytoskeleton to move toward or away from them. This directional movement is called chemotaxis. It helps guide many processes, including embryogenesis, development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. Chemical signals can act as attractants or repellents. In axon development, for example, chemoattractants and chemorepellents help direct a growing axon toward the correct target.

cytoskeletal coordination in cell migration

cytoskeletal-coordination-in-cell-migration

Cell Polarity During Migration

Cell polarity during migration depends on the cytoskeleton. As a cell moves, it changes shape through repeated attachment to and detachment from the substratum, the surface it grows or moves on. The cell also shifts its organelles to match these changes. This movement is controlled by a dynamic cytoskeletal network. The network includes actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. These parts do not work alone. They communicate through cytoskeletal crosstalk, which means direct...

key terms and concepts

Learn how cells move by polarization, protrusion, and release, and how collective migration supports wound healing, blood vessel growth, and cancer spread.

Cell Migration in Wound Healing and Cancer | JoVE K12

cell biology

JoVE Core Cell Biology illustrates complex cellular processes in easy-to-understand yet comprehensive animated video lessons. This collection focuses on the essential components and functions of cells, including organelles and membranes, cellular transport, and cell energetics. It is complemented by scientist-in-action videos that demonstrate the application of cell biology in real-world research experiments.

Cell Migration in Wound Healing and Cancer

Description

Transcript

Tags