Modes of cell locomotion in vivo

Non-Muscle Myosin 2A (NM2A): Structure, Regulation and Function

Non-muscle myosin 2A (NM2A) is a motor cytoskeletal enzyme with crucial importance from the early stages of development until adulthood. Due to its capacity to convert chemical energy into force, NM2A powers the contraction of the actomyosin cytoskeleton, required for proper cell division, adhesion and migration, among other cellular functions. Although NM2A has been extensively studied, new findings revealed that a lot remains to be discovered concerning its spatiotemporal regulation in the intracellular environment. In recent years, new functions were attributed to NM2A and its activity was associated to a plethora of illnesses, including neurological disorders and infectious diseases. Here, we provide a concise overview on the current knowledge regarding the structure, the function and the regulation of NM2A. In addition, we recapitulate NM2A-associated diseases and discuss its potential as a therapeutic target.

Newly synthesized claudins but not occludin are added to the basal side of the tight junction

A network of claudin strands creates continuous cell–cell contacts to form the intercellular tight junction barrier; a second protein, occludin, is associated along these strands. The physiological barrier remains stable despite protein turnover, which involves removal and replacement of claudins both in the steady state and during junction remodeling. Here we use a pulse–block–pulse labeling protocol with fluorescent ligands to label SNAP/CLIP-tags fused to claudins and occludin to identify their spatial trafficking pathways and kinetics in Madin–Darby canine kidney monolayers. We find that claudins are first delivered to the lateral membrane and, over time, enter the junction strand network from the basal side; this is followed by slow replacement of older claudins in the strands. In contrast, even at early times, newly synthesized occludin is found throughout the network. Taking the results together with our previous documentation of the mechanism for claudin strand assembly in a fibroblast model, we speculate that newly synthesized claudins are added at strand breaks and free ends; these are most common in the basalmost edge of the junction. In contrast, occludin can be added directly within the strand network. We further demonstrate that claudin trafficking and half-life depend on carboxy-terminal sequences and that different claudins compete for tight junction localization.

The role of engineering approaches in analysing cancer invasion and metastasis

In the past decade, novel materials, probes and tools have enabled fundamental and applied cancer researchers to take a fresh look at the complex problem of tumour invasion and metastasis. These new tools, which include imaging modalities, controlled but complex in vitro culture conditions, and the ability to model and predict complex processes in vivo, represent an integration of traditional with novel engineering approaches; and their potential effect on quantitatively understanding tumour progression and invasion looks promising.

Down-regulation of mitochondrial acyl carrier protein in mammalian cells compromises protein lipoylation and respiratory complex I and results in cell death

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological importance of the mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis pathway in mammalian cells using the RNA interference strategy. Transfection of HEK293T cells with small interfering RNAs targeting the acyl carrier protein (ACP) component reduced ACP mRNA and protein levels by >85% within 24 h. The earliest phenotypic changes observed were a marked decrease in the proportion of post-translationally lipoylated mitochondrial proteins recognized by anti-lipoate antibodies and a reduction in their catalytic activity, and a slowing of the cell growth rate. Later effects observed included a reduction in the specific activity of respiratory complex I, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, the development of cytoplasmic membrane blebs containing high levels of reactive oxygen species and ultimately, cell death. Supplementation of the culture medium with lipoic acid offered some protection against oxidative damage but did not reverse the protein lipoylation defect. These observations are consistent with a dual role for ACP in mammalian mitochondrial function. First, as a key component of the mitochondrial fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, ACP plays an essential role in providing the octanoyl-ACP precursor required for the protein lipoylation pathway. Second, as one of the subunits of complex I, ACP is required for the efficient functioning of the electron transport chain and maintenance of normal mitochondrial membrane potential.

Automated classification and quantification of F-actin-containing ruffles in confocal micrographs

Membrane ruffles are actin-rich protrusions of the plasma membrane that can be observed on the surface of many cell types. Phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy are widely used in the analysis of ruffles, which are commonly identified in cells stained with fluorescently labeled phalloidin. Currently, comparison of cellular ruffle formation under different experimental conditions is generally qualitative or semiquantitative. Ruffle structures are often defined using manual tracing and thresholding methods. Here, we report the rapid and accurate segmentation of ruffles from two-dimensional confocal projections of cells using automated method based on well-established image processing and analysis methods. Line-shaped ruffles were detected using line detectors and were then separated from the filtered images. Automated categorizing of the segmented line structures enabled accurate quantification of the ruffles. This automated approach is efficient and reliable and hence can serve as a powerful tool in studies of the mechanism of ruffle formation.

Wound healing in the primitive deep layer of the young chick blastoderm

Wound healing in the primitive deep layer of stage 4 chick blastoderms was studied in vitro by cinemicrophotography of living cultures and by photomicroscopy, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy after fixation. Experimental wounds with an average diameter of 0.3 mm healed completely within 2 to 4 h through migration of the cells at their rims. Healing occurred in mesenchyme-free areas, providing us with a purely epithelial reaction. The rim cells of the primitive deep layer formed extensions at their free flank, described as fila, filopodia, lamellae and lamellipodia. They were already present in blastoderms fixed at the earliest after the intervention. This reaction was ascribed to the elimination of a normal fellow cell at the side of the rim cell facing the defect. Movement of the rim cell ceased upon meeting another cell with the same polarity. At this moment lamellipodia disappeared as suddenly as they had formed, and the number of fila and filopodia decreased. We believe that the chick blastoderm's primitive deep layer might be appropriate for analysis of the factors governing primary epithelial wound healing.

Ultrastructure of blebbing and phagocytosis of blebs by hyperplastic thyroid epithelial cells in vivo

In addition to pseudopods, somewhat pleomorphic blebs were consistently found protruding from the apical surfaces of hyperplastic rat thyroid epithelial cells into the follicular lumens in vivo. Many blebs were knobby, roughly hemispherical protrusions, with a diameter of 2-3 mum. Such blebs had a densely packed microfilamentous core and contained numerous apparent ribosomes. They were morphologically similar to blebs that have been observed in a variety of cultured cells. Other blebs were larger, more elongate, and less knobby, but had a similar ultrastructural organization. Blebs of all sizes appeared to be phagocytosed on some occasions by nearby epithelial cells. The phagocytic process involved partial engulfment of the bleb by a typical epithelial pseudopod, followed by an apparent pinching-off process, presumably resulting in the separation of the bleb from its cells or origin. The pinching-off process was associated with a band of approx. 6-nm diameter microfilaments that developed within the pseudopod cytoplasm surrounding the base of the bleb and is postulated to function as a contractile ring. The finding of blebbing is an intact tissue in vivo indicates that this phenomenon is not restricted to cultured cells, and thus tends to extend the significance of in vitro observations of the process. In relation to their occurrence in the hyperplastic thyroid gland in vivo, possible interconversions are considered between different types of blebs, and between blebs and pseudopods.