Dorsoventral polarity directs cell responses to migration track geometries

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba6505
• Publication Date: 2020-07-31T23:09:41Z
• Authors: Emily O. Wisniewski; Panagiotis Mistri...; Kaustav Bera; Robert A. Law; Jitao Zhang; Milos Nikolic; Michael Weiger; Maria Parlani; Soontorn Tuntitha...; Alexandros Afthinos; Runchen Zhao; Denis Wirtz; Petr Kalab; Giuliano Scarcelli; Peter Friedl; Konstantinos Kons...
• Keywords: Polarity (international relations); Cell polarity; Bleb (medicine)

How migrating cells differentially adapt and respond to extracellular track geometries remains unknown. Using intravital imaging, we demonstrate that invading exhibit dorsoventral (top-to-bottom) polarity in vivo. To investigate the impact of on cell locomotion through different confining geometries, fabricated microchannels fixed cross-sectional area, albeit with distinct aspect ratios. Vertical confinement, exerted along axis, induces myosin II-dependent nuclear stiffening, which results RhoA hyperactivation at poles slow bleb-based migration. In lateral directed perpendicularly absence perinuclear II fails increase stiffness. Hence, maintain basal activity display faster mesenchymal summary, by integrating microfabrication, imaging techniques, microscopy, polarity, observed vivo vitro, directs responses confinement spatially tuning activity, controls versus