Microtubule release from the centrosome in migrating cells

1. J Cell Biol. 2002 Dec 9;159(5):731-7. Epub 2002 Dec 9.

Microtubule release from the centrosome in migrating cells.

Abal M(1), Piel M, Bouckson-Castaing V, Mogensen M, Sibarita JB, Bornens M.

Author information:
(1)Institut Curie/UMR 144 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75248
Paris, France.

In migrating cells, force production relies essentially on a polarized actomyosin
system, whereas the spatial regulation of actomyosin contraction and substrate
contact turnover involves a complex cooperation between the microtubule (MT) and
the actin filament networks (Goode, B.L., D.G. Drubin, and G. Barnes. 2000. Curr.
Opin. Cell Biol., 12:63-71). Targeting and capture of MT plus ends at the cell
periphery has been described, but whether or not the minus ends of these MTs are
anchored at the centrosome is not known. Here, we show that release of short MTs
from the centrosome is frequent in migrating cells and that their transport
toward the cell periphery is blocked when dynein activity is impaired. We further
show that MT release, but not MT nucleation or polymerization dynamics, is
abolished by overexpression of the centrosomal MT-anchoring protein ninein. In
addition, a dramatic inhibition of cell migration was observed; but, contrary to
cells treated by drugs inhibiting MT dynamics, polarized membrane ruffling
activity was not affected in ninein overexpressing cells. We thus propose that
the balance between MT minus-end capture and release from the centrosome is
critical for efficient cell migration.

DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200207076
PMCID: PMC2173398
PMID: 12473683 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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