Cell motility within a cell mass

我们目前研究的长期目标是了解细胞在三维多细胞团中移动的机制。这种运动比在平坦基底上的孤立细胞的迁移更复杂，因为团块内的细胞必须获得彼此的牵引力，并且还为它们自己在细胞团块内和通过细胞团块清除路径。我们研究这样的“三维细胞运动”，使用延时三维显微镜，使我们能够观察运动在活标本在较长的时间内。目前的研究主要集中在模型生物Dictyosteoblastoma的多细胞团中肌球蛋白II分子在细胞运动中的作用。使用GFP标记的肌球蛋白II，我们已经证明细胞后部的收缩伴随着细胞后部肌球蛋白的特征性重新分布。我们还表明，这种重新分配的肌球蛋白是abberant当某些肌球蛋白突变体进行检查，后方回缩也伴随着影响。这些结果是第一次证明了一个特定的功能作用肌球蛋白II在后方收缩的细胞。

The long term objective of our current research is to understand the mechanisms by which cells move within a three-dimensional, multicellular mass. This movement is more complex than migration of an isolated cell on a flat substrate, because cells within a mass must gain traction on each other and also clear paths for themselves within and through the cell mass. We study such "3D cell motion" using time-lapse 3D microscopy which permits us to observe locomotion in living specimens over extended time periods. Current research focuses on the role of the myosin II molecule in cell motility within the multicellular mass of the model organism Dictyostelium. Using a GFP-tagged mysoin II, we have shown that retraction of the cell rear is accompanied by a characteristic redistribution of the myosin at the cell rear. We have also shown that that this redistribution of myosin is abberant when certain myosin mutants are examined, and that rear retraction is also concomitantly affected. These results are the first to demonstrate a specific functional role for myosin II in rear retraction of a cell.