The European network

for cell migration studies

8 - Principles of the filopodia structure, dynamics and mechanics

The interaction of cells with the extracellular matrix is mediated via a variety of cellular systems. One of the prominent cell sensory systems involve filopodia, which are broadly believed to be involved in environmental sensing. Filopodia are actin-rich plasma membrane protrusions that sense the chemical and mechanical signals of the pericellular environment. Using normal and cancerous cells, this study will aim at understand key mechanism underlying filopodia-mediated adhesion dynamics, the molecular inner molecular architecture of filopodia, and the forces that filopodia apply to their environment while sensing it.

Last update: 28.05.2018

incem@rwth-aachen.de

Advanced cell migration assays (P1)

Chemotaxis and 2D/3D Migration (P2)

Analysis of keratin dynamics during migration (P3)

Impact of keratin network regulation on migrating cells (P4)

Correlation analyses of migration structure components and front-rear interplay (P5)

Life cycle analysis of actin, focal adhesions and force measurements (P6)

Monitoring of cancer cell migration in living animals  (P7)

Principles of the filopodia structure, dynamics and mechanics (P8)

Mechanisms of downstream signalling from the Rho GTPase network to

cell morphogenesis and cell motility (P9)

Real-time tracking of keratinocyte migration and analysis of cell membrane shape changes (P10)

Image analysis of integrated cytoskeletal network dynamics (P11)

Coupling bulk-surface models for cell migration (P12)

Shaping membranes and actin fibres by forces (P13)

Integrating shape change models and imaging – inverse problem solving and model validation (P14)

Understanding spatio-temporal dynamics of the cytosol network during cell migration  (P15)

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 642866.