Identification of the molecular pathways that drive and steer pseudopods

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Many cells are able to crawl very slowly over a solid surface or burrow their way through a tissue. Often they are guided by chemicals that attract them and in this way, they can perform a useful purpose. For instance white blood cells are attracted by chemicals inadvertently released bacteria, which they then engulf and destroy. Similarly, amoebae are attracted to bacteria, which they then consume as food. The first step in movement is to make projection - a pseudopod - in the direction of travel. This pseudopod can form anywhere around the cell and is driven out by tiny motor which uses some of the same components as muscle. The position where the pseudopod does form is somehow governed by the concentration of attractive chemical around the cell. The aim of the work proposed here is to learn more about how a pseudopod is produced in the right place so that the cell moves towards an attractive chemical.