About this Research Topic
Cell migration is a fundamental cellular process essential for early embryonic development, immunity, tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Cellular advancement requires the coordinated dynamics of cellular shape change, polarization and force generation which are mediated via the actomyosin cytoskeleton. Cells can migrate with remarkable plasticity, allowing cells to adopt and switch between different migration strategies in response to changing environmental conditions. Mesenchymal cell migration has been widely studied due to its accessibility in 2D standard culture systems. In contrast, amoeboid migration modes have only recently been recognized as a common locomotion strategy with high relevance for 3D physiological tissue environments.
The term ‘amoeboid cell migration’ refers to the Greek term ‘change’ and is currently used to summarize cell migration strategies with one or more of the following characteristics: rapid single cell crawling, high actomyosin contractility, hydrostatically driven blebs, low adhesion to the substrate or frequent shape changes (pseudopods). As a consequence, the phenotypes of ‘amoeboid cell migration’ are diverse, ranging from contractility-based modes of locomotion as bleb-based migration to actin polymerization-based gliding cell motility modes. Yet, the underlying molecular and biophysical mechanisms regulating amoeboid cell motility and migration plasticity are only beginning to be revealed.
This Research Topic aims to collect: (1) novel research findings on amoeboid cell migration in various cell types, (2) state-of-the-art methods to study amoeboid cell migration, force generation and transduction as well as (3) models and biophysical mechanisms of amoeboid cell motility.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Blebs and actomyosin contractility in amoeboid cell migration
• Plasticity of amoeboid cell migration
• 1D/2D/3D amoeboid cell migration
• Novel methods to study amoeboid cell migration
• Cytoskeletal dynamics during amoeboid cell migration
• Cell mechano-sensing and mechano-transduction in amoeboid migration
• Biophysics and theoretical models of amoeboid cell motility
• Immune cell migration and chemotaxis
• Cancer cell motility
The term ‘amoeboid cell migration’ refers to the Greek term ‘change’ and is currently used to summarize cell migration strategies with one or more of the following characteristics: rapid single cell crawling, high actomyosin contractility, hydrostatically driven blebs, low adhesion to the substrate or frequent shape changes (pseudopods). As a consequence, the phenotypes of ‘amoeboid cell migration’ are diverse, ranging from contractility-based modes of locomotion as bleb-based migration to actin polymerization-based gliding cell motility modes. Yet, the underlying molecular and biophysical mechanisms regulating amoeboid cell motility and migration plasticity are only beginning to be revealed.
This Research Topic aims to collect: (1) novel research findings on amoeboid cell migration in various cell types, (2) state-of-the-art methods to study amoeboid cell migration, force generation and transduction as well as (3) models and biophysical mechanisms of amoeboid cell motility.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Blebs and actomyosin contractility in amoeboid cell migration
• Plasticity of amoeboid cell migration
• 1D/2D/3D amoeboid cell migration
• Novel methods to study amoeboid cell migration
• Cytoskeletal dynamics during amoeboid cell migration
• Cell mechano-sensing and mechano-transduction in amoeboid migration
• Biophysics and theoretical models of amoeboid cell motility
• Immune cell migration and chemotaxis
• Cancer cell motility
Keywords: amoeboid, cell migration, cytoskeletal dynamics, amoeboid cell motility
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
