All Roads Lead to Directional Cell Migration. Issue 11 (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shellard, Adam; Mayor, Roberto
• Is Part Of: Trends in cell biology. Volume 30:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 852
• Page End: 868
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: migration -- chemotaxis -- durotaxis -- galvanotaxis -- haptotaxis -- gradients; Cytology -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Research -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2020.08.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-8924

Abstract

Abstract : Directional cell migration normally relies on a variety of external signals, such as chemical, mechanical, or electrical, which instruct cells in which direction to move. Many of the major molecular and physical effects derived from these cues are now understood, leading to questions about whether directional cell migration is alike or distinct under these different signals, and how cells might be directed by multiple simultaneous cues, which would be expected in complex in vivo environments. In this review, we compare how different stimuli are spatially distributed, often as gradients, to direct cell movement and the mechanisms by which they steer cells. A comparison of the downstream effectors of directional cues suggests that different external signals regulate a common set of components: small GTPases and the actin cytoskeleton, which implies that the mechanisms downstream of different signals are likely to be closely related and underlies the idea that cell migration operates by a common set of physical principles, irrespective of the input. Highlights: Many different types of stimuli for directional migration have been identified within the overarching categories of chemical, mechanical, and electrical cues. The in vitro data for many signals directing cell migration are convincing, but limited evidence exists in vivo . Stimuli that direct cell migration can be spatially organised by nonmigrating cells as well as by the responsive migratory cells themselves in a highly dynamic fashion. The mechanisms by which different types of stimuli are sensed and transduced is varied, but there may be a common subset of effectors that govern directional cell movement.