Fast-crawling cell types migrate to avoid the direction of periodic substratum stretching

To investigate the relationship between mechanical stimuli from substrata and related cell functions, one of the most useful techniques is the application of mechanical stimuli via periodic stretching of elastic substrata. In response to this stimulus, Dictyostelium discoideum cells migrate in a direction perpendicular to the stretching direction. The origins of directional migration, higher migration velocity in the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction or the higher probability of a switch of migration direction to perpendicular to the stretching direction, however, remain unknown. In this study, we applied periodic stretching stimuli to neutrophil-like differentiated HL-60 cells, which migrate perpendicular to the direction of stretch. Detailed analysis of the trajectories of HL-60 cells and Dictyostelium cells obtained in a previous study revealed that the higher probability of a switch of migration direction to that perpendicular to the direction of stretching was the main cause of such directional migration. This directional migration appears to be a strategy adopted by fast-crawling cells in which they do not migrate faster in the direction they want to go, but migrate to avoid a direction they do not want to go.     

Myosin IIA Dependent Retrograde Flow Drives 3D Cell Migration

Epithelial cell migration is an essential part of embryogenesis and tissue regeneration, yet their migration is least understood. Using our three-dimensional (3D) motility analysis, migrating epithelial cells formed an atypical polarized cell shape with the nucleus leading the cell front and a contractile cell rear. Migrating epithelial cells exerted traction forces to deform both the anterior and posterior extracellular matrix toward the cell body. The cell leading edge exhibited a myosin II-dependent retrograde flow with the magnitude and direction consistent with surrounding network deformation. Interestingly, on a two-dimensional substrate, myosin IIA-deficient cells migrated faster than wild-type cells, but in a 3D gel, these myosin IIA-deficient cells were unpolarized and immobile. In contrast, the migration rates of myosin IIB-deficient cells were similar to wild-type cells. Therefore, myosin IIA, not myosin IIB, is required for 3D epithelial cell migration.     

Rapid redistribution of myosin II in livingDictyostelium amoebae,as revealed by fluorescent probes introduced by electroporation

Summary Fluorescently labeled myosin II fromDictyostelium and fluorescently labeled antibody Fab fragments against myosin II fromDictyostellium were introduced into livingDictyostelium amoebae by electroporation. Fluorescent labeling of myosin II impairs neither actin-activated ATPase activity nor the ability to form filaments in vitro. Fluorescently labeled Fab also did not interfere with the functions of myosin II in vitro. After electroporation, introduced fluorescently labeled myosin II was distributed diffusely in the endoplasm but some of it accumulated at the tail cortical region of migrating cells. During the course of observations, intense fluorescence due to myosin II disappeared and then it appeared again instantaneously in the cortical regions during amoeboid movement. Fluorescently labeled Fab, after electroporation, bound to endogenous myosin II in amoebae and the dynamic changes in its distribution were similar to those of fluorescently labeled myosin II. The fluorescence due to myosin II also underwent dynamic redistribution during the division of cells and chemotactic stimulation. The introduction of labeled Fab and labeled myosin II did not impair the motility ofDictyostelium. During changes in direction associated with cell locomotion, myosin II accumulated at the original front region of the cell and, thereafter, the accumulation was observed at the new tail region of the cell. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that myosin II has two possible roles for cell locomotion. One is that myosin II accumulates at tail regions to produce the power required for contraction. The other is that it hinders the extension of pseudopods in directions other than the frontal direction.     

Molecular dynamics and forces of a motile cell simultaneously visualized by TIRF and force microscopies

Cells must exert traction forces onto the substratum for continuous migration. Molecular dynamics such as actin polymerization at the front of the cell and myosin II accumulation at the rear should play important roles in the exertion of forces required for migration. Therefore, it is important to reveal the relationships between the traction forces and molecular dynamics. Traction forces can be calculated from the deformation of the elastic substratum under a migrating cell. A transparent and colorless elastic substratum with a high refractive index (1.40) and a low Young's modulus (1.0 kPa) were made from a pair of platinum-catalyzed silicones. We used this substratum to develop a new method for simultaneous recording of molecular dynamics and traction forces under a migrating cell in which total internal refractive fluorescence (TIRF) and force microscopies were combined. This new method allows the detection of the spatiotemporal distribution of traction forces produced by individual filopodia in migrating Dictyostelium cells, as well as simultaneous visualization of these traction forces and the dynamics of filamentous myosin II.     

Collagen modulates cell shape and cytoskeleton of embryonic corneal and fibroma fibroblasts: Distribution of actin, α-actinin,and myosin

In the embryo, fibroblasts migrating through extracellular matrices (ECM) are generally elongate in shape, exhibiting a leading pseudopodium with filopodial extensions, and a trailing cell process. Little is known about the mechanism of movement of embryonic cells in ECM, for studies of fibroblast locomotion in the past have been largely confined to observations of flattened cells grown on planar substrata. We confirm here that embryonic avian corneal fibroblasts migrating within hydrated collagen gels in vitro have the bipolar morphology of fibroblasts in vivo, and we show for the first time that highly flattened gerbil fibroma fibroblasts, grown as cell lines on planar substrata, can also respond to hydrated collagen gels by becoming elongate in shape. We demonstrate that the collagen-mediated change in cell shape is accompanied by dramatic rearrangement of the actin, α-actinin, and myosin components of the cytoskeleton. By immunofluorescence, the stress fibers of the flattened corneal fibroblasts grown on glass are seen to stain with antiactin, anti-α-actinin, and antimyosin, as has been reported for fibroma and other fibroblasts grown on glass. Stress fibers, adhesion plaques, and ruffles do not develop when the corneal or fibroma fibroblast is grown in ECM; these features seem to be a response to strong attachment of the cell underside to a planar substratum. When the fibroblasts are grown in ECM, antimyosin staining is distributed diffusely through the cytoplasm. Antiactin and anti-α-actinin stain the microfilamentous cell cortex strongly. We suggest that locomotion of the fibroblast in ECM is accompanied by adhesion of the cell to the collagen fibrils and may involve an interaction of the myosin-rich cytosol with the actin-rich filamentous cell cortex. Interestingly, the numerous filopodia that characterize the tips of motile pseudopodia of cells in ECM are very rich in actin and α-actinin, but seem to lack myosin; if filopodia use myosin to move, the interaction must be at a distance. Soluble collagen does not convert flattened fibroblasts on planar substrata to bipolar cells. Thus, the effect of collagen on the fibroblast cytoskeleton seems to depend on the presence of collagen fibrils in a gel surrounding the cell.     

Mechanical stretching modulates growth direction and MMP-9 release in human keratinocyte monolayer

Cells within human skin are exposed to mechanical stretching that is considered a trigger stimulus for keratinocyte proliferation, while its effect on keratinocyte migration has been poorly investigate. In order to explore the effect of stretching on keratinocyte migration spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) monolayers seeded onto collagen I-coated silicon sheets were stimulated three times for 1 hour every 24 hours (total time = 72 hours) by mechanical stretching increasing substrate deformations (10%) applied both as static (0 Hz) and cyclic (0.17 Hz) uniaxial stretching. At the end of stimulations monolayer areas measured in both static and cyclic samples appeared reduced and strongly oriented in a direction perpendicular to the stress direction compared to unstimulated ones. Moreover during the mechanical stimulation period HaCaT monolayers strongly increased the release in the medium of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), a proteolytic enzyme necessary for keratinocyte migration.Key words: keratinocyte, mechanical stretching, migration, MMP-9, MMP-2     

Phenotype modulation in non-adherent and adherent sublines of Walker carcinosarcoma cells: the role of cell-substratum contacts and microtubules in controlling cell shape, locomotion and cytoskeletal structure

We characterised two sublines of Walker carcinosarcoma cells generated by epigenetic changes. Subline 1 cells were mostly polarised and made no or only non-adhesive cell-substratum contacts. Subline 2 cells were spread, adhesive and mainly non-polar. Subline 1 cells migrate in a non-adhesive mode which is very efficient but operates only in a 3D environment, whereas subline 2 cells migrate in an adhesive mode, which is less efficient but works on 2D and 3D substrata. Nocodazole had little or no effect on shape, polarity and locomotion of subline 1 cells. In glass-adherent subline 2 cells, 10(-6)M nocodazole increased the proportion of polarised cells migrating in an adhesive mode and decreased adhesion to the substratum, whereas 10(-5)M nocodazole further reduced the contacts and the cells reverted to a non-adhesive mode of locomotion. When non-polar subline 2 cells were detached mechanically or by nocodazole, they became polarised and morphologically indistinguishable from non-adherent subline 1 cells. On more adhesive plastic substrata, subline 2 cells produced heterogeneous responses to nocodazole including loss of polarity. The phenotypes of Walker carcinosarcoma sublines have similarities with a broad range of cell types ranging from leucocytes to fibroblast-like cells, suggesting that these phenotypic differences can be controlled by the adhesive and contractile state rather than the cell type. Adhesion modulates contractility (isometric or isotonic contraction) and vice versa and this determines morphology (shape, F-actin, myosin and alpha-actinin), locomotion and responses to microtubule-disassembly. The model may be applied to analyse the mechanisms controlling the phenotype of cells in general.     

Relative distribution of actin, myosin I, and myosin II during the wound healing response of fibroblasts

Myosin I is present in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and its localization reflects a possible involvement in the extension and/or retraction of protrusions at the leading edge of locomoting cells and the transport of vesicles, but not in the contraction of stress fibers or transverse fibers. An affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to brush border myosin I colocalizes with a polypeptide of 120 kD in fibroblast extracts. Within initial protrusions of polarized, migrating fibroblasts, myosin I exhibits a punctate distribution, whereas actin is diffuse and myosin II is absent. Myosin I also exists in linear arrays parallel to the direction of migration in filopodia and microspikes, established protrusions, and within the leading lamellae of migrating cells. Myosin II and actin colocalize along transverse fibers in the lamellae of migrating cells, while myosin I displays no definitive organization along these fibers. During contractions of actin-based fibers, myosin II is concentrated in the center of the cell, while the distribution of myosin I does not change. Thus, myosin I is found at the correct location and time to be involved in the extension and/or retraction of protrusions and the transport of vesicles. Myosin II-based contractions in more posterior cellular regions could generate forces to separate cells, maintain a polarized cell shape, maintain the direction of locomotion, maximize the rate of locomotion, and/or aid in the delivery of cytoskeletal/contractile subunits to the leading edge.     

Ordered Patterns of Cell Shape and Orientational Correlation during Spontaneous Cell Migration

Background

In the absence of stimuli, most motile eukaryotic cells move by spontaneously coordinating cell deformation with cell movement in the absence of stimuli. Yet little is known about how cells change their own shape and how cells coordinate the deformation and movement. Here, we investigated the mechanism of spontaneous cell migration by using computational analyses.

Methodology

We observed spontaneously migrating Dictyostelium cells in both a vegetative state (round cell shape and slow motion) and starved one (elongated cell shape and fast motion). We then extracted regular patterns of morphological dynamics and the pattern-dependent systematic coordination with filamentous actin (F-actin) and cell movement by statistical dynamic analyses.

Conclusions/Significance

We found that Dictyostelium cells in both vegetative and starved states commonly organize their own shape into three ordered patterns, elongation, rotation, and oscillation, in the absence of external stimuli. Further, cells inactivated for PI3-kinase (PI3K) and/or PTEN did not show ordered patterns due to the lack of spatial control in pseudopodial formation in both the vegetative and starved states. We also found that spontaneous polarization was achieved in starved cells by asymmetric localization of PTEN and F-actin. This breaking of the symmetry of protein localization maintained the leading edge and considerably enhanced the persistence of directed migration, and overall random exploration was ensured by switching among the different ordered patterns. Our findings suggest that Dictyostelium cells spontaneously create the ordered patterns of cell shape mediated by PI3K/PTEN/F-actin and control the direction of cell movement by coordination with these patterns even in the absence of external stimuli.     

Mechanical stretching modulates growth direction and MMP-9 release in human keratinocyte monolayer

Cells within human skin are exposed to mechanical stretching that is considered a trigger stimulus for keratinocyte proliferation, while its effect on keratinocyte migration has been poorly investigate. In order to explore the effect of stretching on keratinocyte migration spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) monolayers seeded onto collagen I-coated silicon sheets were stimulated 3 times for 1 hour every 24 hours (total time = 72 hours) by mechanical stretching increasing substrate deformations (10%) applied both as static (0 Hz) and cyclic (0.17 Hz) uniaxial stretching. At the end of stimulations monolayer areas measured in both static and cyclic samples appeared reduced and strongly oriented in a direction perpendicular to the stress direction compared to unstimulated ones. Moreover during the mechanical stimulation period HaCaT monolayers strongly increased the release in the medium of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), a proteolytic enzyme necessary for keratinocyte migration.     

Reorientation response of cells to repeated stretch and recoil of the substratum

The effect of directional stretching of the substratum on cell orientation was investigated using Earle's L strain fibroblasts. An apparatus was constructed that caused a silicon rubber substratum to undergo periodic elongation and recoil at 15 sec intervals. This substratum was contained within a flask that also held a control (static) substratum of the same material. Examination of the pattern of cells by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), made after 18–24 h incubation, showed a highly significant preponderance over the controls of cells on the stretching substrata arranged with their long axis at right angles to the direction of stretching. The observation is interpreted as an avoidance reaction to stretching based on the cells' adhesion by linear focal contacts, which run parallel to the long axis of the cells, and which are associated with microfilaments.     

Short-lived, transitory cell-cell interactions foster migration-dependent aggregation

During embryonic development, motile cells aggregate into cohesive groups, which give rise to tissues and organs. The role of cell migration in regulating aggregation is unclear. The current paradigm for aggregation is based on an equilibrium model of differential cell adhesivity to neighboring cells versus the underlying substratum. In many biological contexts, however, dynamics is critical. Here, we provide evidence that multicellular aggregation dynamics involves both local adhesive interactions and transport by cell migration. Using time-lapse video microscopy, we quantified the duration of cell-cell contacts among migrating cells that collided and adhered to another cell. This lifetime of cell-cell interactions exhibited a monotonic decreasing dependence on substratum adhesivity. Parallel quantitative measurements of cell migration speed revealed that across the tested range of adhesive substrata, the mean time needed for cells to migrate and encounter another cell was greater than the mean adhesion lifetime, suggesting that aggregation dynamics may depend on cell motility instead of the local differential adhesivity of cells. Consistent with this hypothesis, aggregate size exhibited a biphasic dependence on substratum adhesivity, matching the trend we observed for cell migration speed. Our findings suggest a new role for cell motility, alongside differential adhesion, in regulating developmental aggregation events and motivate new design principles for tuning aggregation dynamics in tissue engineering applications.     

The integrin-ligand interaction regulates adhesion and migration through a molecular clutch

Adhesive and migratory behavior can be cell type, integrin, and substrate dependent. We have compared integrin and substrate differences using three integrin receptors: α5β1, α6β1, and αLβ2 expressed in a common cell type, CHO.B2 cells, which lack integrin α subunits, as well as in different cell types that express one or more of these integrins. We find that CHO.B2 cells expressing either α6β1 or αLβ2 integrins migrate and protrude faster and are more directionally persistent on laminin or ICAM-1, respectively, than CHO.B2 cells expressing α5β1 on fibronectin. Despite rapid adhesion maturation and the presence of large adhesions in both the α6β1- and αLβ2-expressing cells, they display robust tyrosine phosphorylation. In addition, whereas myosin II regulates adhesion maturation and turnover, protrusion rates, and polarity in cells migrating on fibronectin, surprisingly, it does not have comparable effects in cells expressing α6β1 or αLβ2. This apparent difference in the integration of myosin II activity, adhesion, and migration arises from alterations in the ligand-integrin-actin linkage (molecular clutch). The elongated adhesions in the protrusions of the α6β1-expressing cells on laminin or the αLβ2-expressing cells on ICAM-1 display a novel, rapid retrograde flux of integrin; this was largely absent in the large adhesions in protrusions of α5β1-expressing cells on fibronectin. Furthermore, the force these adhesions exert on the substrate in protrusive regions is reduced compared to similar regions in α5-expressing cells, and the adhesion strength is reduced. This suggests that intracellular forces are not efficiently transferred from actomyosin to the substratum due to altered adhesion strength, that is, avidity, affinity, or the ligand-integrin-actin interaction. Finally, we show that the migration of fast migrating leukocytes on fibronectin or ICAM-1 is also largely independent of myosin II; however, their adhesions are small and do not show retrograde fluxing suggesting other intrinsic factors determine their migration differences.     

A mechanistic motor-clutch model that explains cell shape dynamics to cyclic stretch

Many cells in the body experience cyclic mechanical loading, which can impact cellular processes and morphology. In vitro studies often report that cells reorient in response to cyclic stretch of their substrate. To explore cellular mechanisms involved in this reorientation, a computational model was developed by adapting previous computational models of the actin–myosin–integrin motor-clutch system developed by others. The computational model predicts that under most conditions, actin bundles align perpendicular to the direction of applied cyclic stretch, but under specific conditions, such as low substrate stiffness, actin bundles align parallel to the direction of stretch. The model also predicts that stretch frequency impacts the rate of reorientation and that proper myosin function is critical in the reorientation response. These computational predictions are consistent with reports from the literature and new experimental results presented here. The model suggests that the impact of different stretching conditions (stretch type, amplitude, frequency, substrate stiffness, etc.) on the direction of cell alignment can largely be understood by considering their impact on cell–substrate detachment events, specifically whether detachments preferentially occur during stretching or relaxing of the substrate.     

The effect of tenascin and embryonic basal lamina on the behavior and morphology of neural crest cells in vitro

We have investigated the morphology and migratory behavior of quail neural crest cells on isolated embryonic basal laminae or substrata coated with fibronectin or tenascin. Each of these substrata have been implicated in directing neural crest cell migration in situ. We also observed the altered behavior of cells in response to the addition of tenascin to the culture medium independent of its effect as a migratory substratum. On tenascin-coated substrata, the rate of neural crest cell migration from neural tube explants was significantly greater than on uncoated tissue culture plastic, on fibronectin-coated plastic, or on basal lamina isolated from embryonic chick retinae. Neural crest cells on tenascin were rounded and lacked lamellipodia, in contrast to the flattened cells seen on basal lamina and fibronectin-coated plastic. In contrast, when tenascin was added to the culture medium of neural crest cells migrating on isolated basal lamina, a significant reduction in the rate of cell migration was observed. To study the nature of this effect, we used human melanoma cells, which have a number of characteristics in common with quail neural crest cells though they would be expected to have a distinct family of integrin receptors. A dose-dependent reduction in the rate of translocation was observed when tenascin was added to the culture medium of the human melanoma cell line plated on isolated basal laminae, indicating that the inhibitory effect of tenascin bound to the quail neural crest surface is probably not solely the result of competitive inhibition by tenascin for the integrin receptor. Our results show that tenascin can be used as a migratory substratum by avian neural crest cells and that tenascin as a substratum can stimulate neural crest cell migration, probably by permitting rapid detachment. Tenascin in the medium, on the other hand, inhibits both the migration rates and spreading of motile cells on basal lamina because it binds only the cell surface and not the underlying basal lamina. Cell surface-bound tenascin may decrease cell-substratum interactions and thus weaken the tractional forces generated by migrating cells. This is in contrast to the action of fibronectin, which when added to the medium stimulates cell migration by binding both to neural crest cells and the basal lamina, thus providing a bridge between the motile cells and the substratum.     

Rho-family small GTPases are required for cell polarization and directional sensing in Drosophila wound healing

A wound induces cell polarization, in which myosin II is localized at the rear end of individual cells in a migrating epithelial sheet of the Drosophila larval epidermis. Here, we use myosin localization to demonstrate that Rac1, Cdc42, and Rho1 are each required for cell polarization and directional sensing of the wound. The three GTPases are also required for actin cable formation at the wound leading edge. Rac1, Cdc42, and Rho1 act upstream of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) to organize actin assembly. These results highlight the similarities between the molecular mechanism of Drosophila wound healing and those of Drosophila embryonic dorsal closure and the chemotactic response of Dictyostelium and leukocytes.     

Fibroblast responses to cyclic mechanical stretching depend on cell orientation to the stretching direction

Fibroblasts in intact tendons align with stretching direction, but they tend to orient randomly in healing tendons. Therefore, a question arises: Do fibroblast responses to mechanical stretching depend on their orientation? To address this question, human patellar tendon fibroblasts were grown in custom-made silicone dishes that possess microgrooved culture surfaces. The direction of the microgrooves was either parallel or normal to the direction of cyclic uniaxial stretching. Fibroblasts grown in these microgrooves had a polar morphology and oriented along the direction of the microgrooves regardless of the stretching conditions. Tendon fibroblasts expressed higher levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin when they were oriented parallel to the stretching direction than when they were oriented normal to the stretching direction. Also, cyclic stretching of the fibroblasts perpendicular to their orientation induced a higher activity level of secretory phospholipase A(2) compared with stretching of the cells parallel to their orientation. Thus, these results show that fibroblast responses to mechanical stretching depend on cell orientation to the stretching direction.     

Differential roles of Rho-kinase and myosin light chain kinase in regulating shape, adhesion, and migration of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells

We present evidence for differential roles of Rho-kinase and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in regulating shape, adhesion, migration, and chemotaxis of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells on laminin-coated surfaces. Pharmacological inhibition of Rho-kinase by Y-27632 or inhibition of MLCK by W-7 or ML-7 resulted in significant attenuation of constitutive myosin light chain phosphorylation. Rho-kinase inhibition resulted in sickle-shaped cells featuring long, thin F-actin-rich protrusions. These cells adhered more strongly to laminin and migrated faster. Inhibition of MLCK in contrast resulted in spherical cells and marked impairment of adhesion and migration. Inhibition of myosin II activation with blebbistatin resulted in a morphology similar to that induced by Y-27632 and enhanced migration and adhesion. Cells treated first with blebbistatin and then with ML-7 also rounded up, suggesting that effects of MLCK inhibition on HT1080 cell shape and motility are independent of inhibition of myosin activity.     

Turnover rates at regulatory phosphorylation sites on myosin II in endothelial cells

Assembly and motor activity of non-muscle myosin II can be regulated by phosphorylation. Because myosin II-containing structures undergo continuous assembly, disassembly, and remodeling in living cells, especially during cell migration, myosin II should undergo frequent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. This study examines the turnover of phosphate on myosin II in stationary and migrating endothelial cells. Cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells were metabolically labeled with (32)P-phosphate, and the incorporation of phosphate into myosin II was assessed by quantitative phosphor imaging of electrophoretic gels of myosin II immunoadsorbed from cell lysates. Likewise, phosphate turnover was measured upon chasing the (32)P with unlabeled phosphate. Phosphate incorporated very slowly into heavy chains, taking >8 h to plateau, and turned over at 相似文献   

Genetic suppression of a phosphomimic myosin II identifies system-level factors that promote myosin II cleavage furrow accumulation

How myosin II localizes to the cleavage furrow in Dictyostelium and metazoan cells remains largely unknown despite significant advances in understanding its regulation. We designed a genetic selection using cDNA library suppression of 3xAsp myosin II to identify factors involved in myosin cleavage furrow accumulation. The 3xAsp mutant is deficient in bipolar thick filament assembly, fails to accumulate at the cleavage furrow, cannot rescue myoII-null cytokinesis, and has impaired mechanosensitive accumulation. Eleven genes suppressed this dominant cytokinesis deficiency when 3xAsp was expressed in wild-type cells. 3xAsp myosin II''s localization to the cleavage furrow was rescued by constructs encoding rcdBB, mmsdh, RMD1, actin, one novel protein, and a 14-3-3 hairpin. Further characterization showed that RMD1 is required for myosin II cleavage furrow accumulation, acting in parallel with mechanical stress. Analysis of several mutant strains revealed that different thresholds of myosin II activity are required for daughter cell symmetry than for furrow ingression dynamics. Finally, an engineered myosin II with a longer lever arm (2xELC), producing a highly mechanosensitive motor, could also partially suppress the intragenic 3xAsp. Overall, myosin II accumulation is the result of multiple parallel and partially redundant pathways that comprise a cellular contractility control system.