biosights: May 14, 2012

Fibroblasts moving across two-dimensional surfaces form lamellipodial protrusions at their leading edge, but how cells move through three-dimensional environments is less well understood. Petrie et al. reveal that, depending on the strength of intracellular RhoA signaling and on the elastic properties of the extracellular matrix, fibroblasts can migrate through 3D environments using either lamellipodia or blunt, cylindrical protrusions called lobopodia. This biosights episode presents the paper by Petrie et al. from the April 30, 2012, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with first author Ryan Petrie (NIH, Bethesda, MD). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.

Subscribe to biosights via iTunes or RSS View biosights archive

The Rockefeller University Press biosights@rockefeller.edu