Persistent, directional motility of cells and cytoplasmic fragments in the absence of microtubules (original) (raw)
- Letter
- Published: 05 July 1984
Nature volume 310, pages 58–61 (1984)Cite this article
- 935 Accesses
- 203 Citations
- 1 Altmetric
- Metrics details
Abstract
Directional cell locomotion is displayed by many cell types both in vivo and _in vitro_1. In many instances, persistency and directionality are imposed by external stimuli such as chemical attractants or substrate properties2–6. Some cell types, such as fibroblasts or leukocytes, are capable of migrating in the absence of known stimuli in a pattern known as persistent random walk7, where the direction of movement is maintained for at least one cell diameter before the cell performs a sudden directional change. In many examples of persistent motility, microtubules are believed to have a key role as elements that stabilize or even determine a cell's direction of movement8–11. If disassembled, persistency is reduced or impaired12–15. Despite some reports to the contrary16–18, these and other observations have led to the widely accepted view that microtubules may be the overall organizers of cell geometry, polarity and motile activity19. Here we report that rapid, directional locomotion of fish epidermal keratocytes is independent of the presence of microtubules. Moreover, small cytoplasmic fragments derived from the anterior lamella of these cells are capable of locomoting in a pattern indistinguishable from that of intact cells. Since these fragments contain no nucleus, microtubules or centrioles, the persistency-determining component must be sought in some other component(s) of the cytoplasm, possibly the motile machinery of the lamella itself.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Additional access options:
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Trinkaus, J. P. in The Cell Surface in Animal Embryogenesis and Development (eds Poste, G. & Nicholson, G. L.) 225–329 (Eisevier, Amsterdam, 1976).
Google Scholar - Zigmond, S. H. J. Cell Biol. 77, 269–287 (1978).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Carter, S. B. Nature 208, 1183–1190 (1965).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Dunn, G. A. & Heath, J. P. Expl Cell Res. 101, 1–14 (1976).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Gerisch, G. et al. in Development and Differentiation in the Cellular Slime Molds (eds Cappuccinelli, R. & Ashworth, J. M.) 105–124 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977).
Book Google Scholar - Bray, D. in Cell Behaviour (eds Bellairs, R., Curtis, A. & Dunn, G.) 299–317 (Cambridge University Press, 1982).
Google Scholar - Gail, M. H. & Boone, C. Biophys. J. 10, 980–993 (1970).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Malech, H. L., Root, R. K. & Gallin, J. I. J. Cell Biol. 75, 666–693 (1977).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Albrecht-Buehler, G. Cell 12, 333–342 (1977).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Albrecht-Buehler, G. Cell Motility 1, 237–245 (1981).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Gotlieb, A. I., McBurnie May, L., Subrahmanyan, L. & Kalnins, V. I. J. Cell Biol. 91, 589–594 (1981)..
Article CAS Google Scholar - Goldman, R. D. J. Cell Biol. 51, 752–767 (1971).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Vasiliev, J. M. & Gelfand, I. M. in Cell Motility (eds Goldman, R. D., Pollard, T. D. & Rosenbaum, J. L.) 279–304 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1976).
Google Scholar - Zigmond, S. H. J. Cell Biol. 75, 606–616 (1977).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Gotlieb, A. I., Subrahmanyan, L. & Kalnins, V.I. J. Cell Biol. 96, 1266–1272 (1983).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Dipasquale, A. Expl Cell Res. 95, 425–439 (1975).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Dunlap, M. K. & Donaldson, D. J. Expl Cell Res. 116, 15–19 (1978).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Rich, A. M. & Hoffstein, S. T. J. Cell Sci. 48, 181–191 (1981).
CAS PubMed Google Scholar - Alberts, B. et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 600–601 (Garland, New York, 1983).
Google Scholar - Henrikson, R. C. & Matoltsy, A. G. J Ultrastruct. Res. 21, 194–205 (1968).
Article Google Scholar - Schliwa, M. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 52, 377–386 (1975).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Goodrich, H. B. Biol. Bull. 46, 252–262 (1924).
Article Google Scholar - Radice, G. P. J. Cell Sci. 44, 201–223 (1980).
CAS PubMed Google Scholar - Bereiter-Hahn, J., Strohmeier, R., Kunzenbacher, I., Beck, k. & Voth, M. J. Cell Sci. 52, 289–311 (1981).
CAS PubMed Google Scholar - Kunzenbacher, I., Bereiter-Hahn, J., Osborn, M. & Weber, K. Cell Tissue Res. 222, 445–457 (1982).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Keller, H. U. & Bessis, M. Nature 258, 723–724 (1975).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Goldstein, L., Cailleau, R. & Crocker, T.T. Expl Cell Res. 19, 332–342 (1960).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Kalisz, B. & Korohoda, W. Acta protozool. 15, 345–357 (1976).
Google Scholar - Shaw, G. & Bray, D. Expl Cell Res. 104, 55–62 (1977).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Albrecht-Buehler, G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 6639–6643 (1980).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Swanson, J. A. & Taylor, D. L. Cell 28, 225–232 (1982).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Schliwa, M. & van Blerkom, J. J. Cell Biol. 90, 222–235 (1981).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Weber, K., Rathke, P. & Osborn, M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 1820–1824 (1978).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Wulf, E., Deboben, A., Bautz, F. A., Faustich, H. & Wieland, T. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci U.S.A. 76, 4498–4502 (1979).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
Ursula Euteneuer & Manfred Schliwa
Authors
- Ursula Euteneuer
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - Manfred Schliwa
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Euteneuer, U., Schliwa, M. Persistent, directional motility of cells and cytoplasmic fragments in the absence of microtubules.Nature 310, 58–61 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310058a0
- Received: 22 December 1983
- Accepted: 01 May 1984
- Issue Date: 05 July 1984
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310058a0