Proteolysis-free cell migration through crowded environments via mechanical worrying

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.09.372912
• Publication Date: 2020-11-10T05:00:13Z
• Authors: Meghan K. Driscoll; Erik S. Welf; Andrew Weems; Etai Sapoznik; Felix Zhou; Vasanth S. Murali; Juan Manuel Garci...; Minna Roh-Johnson; Matthieu Piel; Kevin M. Dean; Reto Fiolka; Gaudenz Danuser
• Keywords: Bleb (medicine); Proteolysis

Abstract Migratory cells often encounter crowded microenvironments through which they must find or make a path. Amoeboid are thought to path by deforming their bodies squeeze tight spaces. Yet many amoeboid seem maintain near spherical morphology as move. To examine this unexplored mechanism of migration, we visualized melanoma in dense environments and found that carve via bleb-driven mechanical degradation extracellular matrix components without proteolytic degradation. Interactions between adhesions collagen at the cell front induce signaling cascade promotes bleb enlargement branched actin polymerization. Large blebs abrade collagen, creating feedback structure, polarization enables both generation persistent movement.