MANY FACES OF MYOSIN : PERSPECTIVE FROM CELL MIGRATION

Abstract

Cell migration is interesting, intricate and necessary cellular behaviour. Without it there will be no development, wound healing, no immune systems so on and so forth (1). On a negative side cell migration also contribute to morbidity and mortality through birth defects, metastasis, immune deficiencies, inflammatory diseases etc. (2-4). Our knowledge on cell migration gathered mostly from in vitro studies where single cell moves on petriplates without obstruction. (5-7). Cell migration happens in a few distinct steps; cells polarize, protrude towards the direction of migration, anchor/adhere at the front, contract the cell body and then finally retract the back. Needless to say that each of these processes involve extremely complex molecular machineries and each of them is connected spatially and temporally. We do know a great deal about cell migration in vitro and the molecular processes but understanding of the same process in a complex environment is still wanting to great extent. Replicating in vivo environment in vitro is still a challenge .